The women founders conference (WFC) is a one-day event organized by Startup Kano team with Aisha Tofa as the leader, focused on bringing women in business and entrepreneurs together to share their ‘how I started’ stories and realistic advice.
The event was first held in 2016 with the theme ‘YOU CAN SIT WITH US’ with over 200 women in attendance.
What is the Women Founders Conference All About?
For the past five years, the Women founders Group (WFG) has stayed focused with the mission to mentor and recognize women in business who have founded businesses and brands across the country to bring them together to share knowledge.
Women Founders Conference is a full-day event being curated by Startup Kano Team with an audience of about 800+ women in business and startups in one place, with a focus on women in business and entrepreneurs, to share their stories and practical advice.
The aim is to bring together bright minds to give talks that are idea-focused and on a wide range of subjects, to foster learning, inspiration and wonder to provoke conversation that matter.
Women Founders Conference 2022
This year’s conference theme challenges us to think about how collaboration is key in building businesses, and how it has helped in building their business and critical social issues.
This is an exciting time to sponsor this year’s conference as the Women Founders Conference has increased its significance among the ecosystem stakeholders, as we have a reach of about 5000 women in business across Nigeria.
The fifth edition of the conference was held at the Afficent Grand Marque on 17th January, with the theme ‘I AM LIGHT’. What makes many women weak is their need for validation and recognition from others which has resulted in the death of so many dreams, the conference seeks to boost confidence and eliminate self-doubt in women.
Women Founders Group 2022 Speakers
Amina J. Muhammad
Amina Muhammed is the current deputy secretary-general of the United Nations and the chairman of the United Nations Sustainable Development Group. Although she was unavoidably absent, a video of her speech was played at the event.
Each girl should grow up believing in her voice, her unique abilities and that she can be a leader in her community and country
She talked about how every woman can contribute positively to her community and achieve her aspirations, which means every woman and girl must live free from the fear and experience of violence.
She commended Kano state on its tremendous progress on girl child education and Startup Kano for its commitment to nurturing homegrown talent for local initiatives and leveraging the resources to advance Nigeria’s development agenda.
Abubakar Suleiman
Suleiman is the current MD/CEO of Sterling Bank Plc. He is a seasoned banker with over two decades of relevant experience in tax advisory and business audit. He emphasized seeking guidance through mentorship programs, reading good books, and listening.
Irrespective of where you find yourself, get the required skills you need to grow your career path.
Amal Hassan
Amal Hassan is a Nigerian technopreneur with more than 15 years of experience in the ICT/Telecoms business. She is the Founder and CEO of Outsource Global Technologies Ltd Abuja.
Change your mindset from, it can’t be done to it can be done and keep trying until your goal is achieved.
She shared her experience as a businesswoman She said although being a northern Nigerian businesswoman is quite challenging, women should believe in their abilities to overcome these challenges to achieve their set goals. Determination, hard work and support from family are the backbones of her success.
Hauwa Abbas
I don’t believe I am where I am because of luck, but because of hard work. Be the change you want, be honest to yourself.
Hauwa Abbas is an award-winning humanitarian, certified coach with the International Coaching Federation, a Rotarian, an SDG advocate, and the Founder of Silver Lining for the Needy Initiative, a non-profit organization.
She talked about inculcating the culture of volunteering in northern Nigeria through which a lot of skills are learnt; she also sighted the importance of asking for help as no man is an island. Women should celebrate their wins no matter how little it is, she said.
Zainab Buba Galadima
Zainab is a grassroots politician, a youth activist, and a businesswoman. She shared her experience as a politician and the importance of women’s involvement in politics.
During my campaign, I was focused on social media but along the line, I realized that most of the people I will be representing are not even active on social media, so I changed my strategy and focused on the physical campaign.
She said that it was okay to make mistakes in life but the most important thing is using that mistake to get yourself back on track and learn from the mistake.
Poetry Performance
A poem centred on girl power was performed by The Wish Society titled “I AM LIGHT”. At the end of the performance, there was an uproar of applause as they left the audience thrilled and filled with waves of emotion.
Other Activities
A panel, with Hajara Masaga as the moderator had a fireside chat on “killing the obstacles of quick wins”. Hauwa Bako, Honourable Zainab Buba Galadima, and Dr Amina Sambo Magaji made their points on the topic. Questions and contributions were made by the audience which made it an interactive session.
Towards the end of the event, the sum of five hundred thousand Naira was presented to ten women entrepreneurs sponsored by Sterling bank Plc.
Certificates and awards were presented to the participants and 50 inspiring women respectively.
Conclusion
Every woman that attended the event, was left with a new mindset and plenty of practical ideas to be executed. The passion of Kano girls and women is what has made this event a success, encouragement, and support are what they need to bloom with confidence for “SHE IS LIGHT”.
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