By MyEngineers
Women engineers and business owners in Lagos now have a clearer path to funding, thanks to a workshop organised by the Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria, APWEN Lagos Chapter, in collaboration with the Bank of Industry.
The Gender Responsive Sustainable Finance Workshop brought together APWEN members, entrepreneurs and representatives of the Bank of Industry to break down how women in engineering and business can access sustainable financing, climate funding and structured support to grow their enterprises.
At the heart of the workshop was a simple message. Good engineering ideas need good business structure to survive, and good business structure needs the right financial knowledge to attract funding. That message ran through every session of the day.
The event opened with registration and networking, giving APWEN members, entrepreneurs and BOI representatives the chance to connect before the formal sessions began. Engr. Uchechi Edosomwan, Technical Secretary of APWEN Lagos, who also served as Director of Programmes, led the opening prayer.
Collegiate Balikis Okuwobi rendered the APWEN Lagos Anthem, after which the Director of Programmes recited the association’s mission and vision statements.
A Safety Moment followed, delivered by Engr. Oluwashina G. Adebayo, Treasurer of APWEN Lagos, who spoke on professional, physical, digital and chemical safety practices, a reminder that safety consciousness remains part of everyday engineering culture, even at a finance focused event.
Opening remarks were delivered on behalf of Engr. Bosede M. Oyekunle, Chairman of APWEN Lagos, by Engr. Uchechi Edosomwan, who emphasised the need to bridge the gap between engineering practice and business knowledge through financial literacy.
The Bank of Industry sent a full outreach team, introduced by Uchenna Idoku, comprising Olawunmi Ajayi of the Sustainability Team, Munkeng Shambo of the Engineering and Technology Team, Temi Adeoye from Guaranteed Loans, and Adebanke Ale from Sustainability and ESG.
Olawunmi Ajayi opened the technical sessions with a presentation on Gender Responsive Sustainable Finance, outlining the Bank of Industry’s 2027 impact targets. These include committing 15 percent of loans to women focused initiatives, another 15 percent to digital and ICT projects, 10 percent to green projects, and 20 percent of MSME funding directed at youth led businesses.
Munkeng Shambo followed with a presentation on Engineering and Technology Financing Opportunities, focusing on backward and forward integration, local manufacturing and industrial growth.
He laid out the documentation businesses need before approaching the bank, including CAC registration, a feasibility study, a business plan, three years of audited financial statements, and proper ESG categorisation.
Temi Adeoye then introduced the Guaranteed Loans for Women programme, known as GLOW, which offers up to fifty million naira per beneficiary. Security options include a bank guarantee, legal mortgage, or an all assets debenture, and applications can be made through the BOI website, the GLOW portal, or any BOI state office.
Closing the technical presentations, Adebanke Ale spoke on ESG Compliance for Businesses, describing ESG as a framework built around sustainability, ethical practice and long term value creation.
She noted that businesses with strong ESG compliance stand a better chance of loan approval, face reduced risk, and enjoy improved reputation and competitiveness in the market.
An interactive session, moderated by Engr. Mosope Adewuyi, Assistant Secretary of APWEN Lagos Chapter, gave participants the chance to ask direct questions.
Topics raised included what qualifies as an acceptable external guarantor, how start ups without a trading history can access funding, whether real estate can be included among fundable ventures, whether women above the age of thirty five remain eligible for the GLOW programme, and what practical first steps a new business should take within its first ninety days.
he responses from the BOI team helped clarify the practical realities of accessing funding and underscored the importance of resilience, strategic planning and continuous business development.
Engr. Funmilade Akingbagboun, a past National Chairman of the Nigerian Institution of Mechanical Engineers, presented an award of recognition to the Bank of Industry outreach team on behalf of the APWEN Lagos Chairman, commending the bank’s commitment to women’s economic empowerment through sustainable financing.
By the close of the workshop, participants left with a clearer understanding of sustainable finance and ESG principles, a better grasp of the funding opportunities available through the Bank of Industry, and a renewed appreciation for the importance of proper business registration, documentation and compliance.
The workshop also served as encouragement for more women engineers to pursue entrepreneurship, innovation and leadership across critical sectors of the economy.
Several recommendations emerged from the discussions. Women entrepreneurs were urged to prioritise formal business registration, covering CAC, TIN and tax compliance, and to adopt ESG frameworks that strengthen both sustainability and credibility.
APWEN was encouraged to keep building partnerships with financial institutions to close existing knowledge gaps, while participants were advised to take full advantage of BOI programmes, particularly GLOW, to scale their businesses.
APWEN Lagos Chapter has since called on its members and the wider community of women in engineering and business to act on what was shared.