Alitheia calls for capital designed around women-led enterprises

Alitheia Capital and more than 300 women-led businesses have called for financing solutions tailored to enterprises in manufacturing, agribusiness and nutrition, saying viable companies remain excluded from formal capital despite showing investment potential. The call was made at the third W.O.M.A.N. conference in Lagos, organised by Alitheia Capital.

The two-day event brought together entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers and development partners to discuss barriers involving finance, energy, technology and markets. Representing Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Agriculture and Food Systems Commissioner Abisola Olusanya said women-led businesses faced significant difficulty accessing appropriate finance and growth capital. She said government, financial institutions, private investors, development partners and entrepreneurs all had responsibilities in helping businesses move from survival to sustainable scale.

Speakers also identified formalisation, financial discipline and corporate governance as important to attracting investment. Ifeyinwa Ighodalo, co-founder of WIMBIZ and chief executive of DO.II Designs, said stronger financial discipline could improve the credibility and visibility of businesses seeking capital. Alitheia said its investment-readiness programme trained entrepreneurs in financial statements, unit economics, governance and capital structuring.

A separate green-investment session examined energy efficiency as a way to reduce operating costs and strengthen resilience. The second day focused on artificial intelligence. An adoption programme delivered with Google Hustle Academy showed participants how to apply AI to business operations and marketing.

Nature Sense co-founder Funmilayo Ogunsanya said the training would help her business improve its operations. Alitheia co-founder Jumoke Akinwunmi said the conference demonstrated that the central issue was not necessarily whether women-led businesses were ready, but whether the wider ecosystem could provide suitable financing. Managing Partner Tokunboh Ishmael said more than 300 participating businesses had been screened for revenue, formalisation and growth potential, yet most had not accessed formal capital.

Alitheia said it would monitor the businesses over the next 12 months, tracking access to finance, revenue growth and the use of skills gained at the conference. W.O.M.A.N. combines the annual conference with this follow-up programme for high-potential women-led businesses.