.Director-General of the World Trade Organization, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has cautioned that Nigeria’s sluggish internet penetration, leaving over half of its citizens offline, poses a serious barrier to harnessing the booming global digital trade sector.
Speaking in Abuja on Thursday during the launch of the Women Exporters in the Digital Economy Fund, Okonjo-Iweala revealed that only 45 percent of Nigerians have internet access, far below the global average of 67 percent.
She stressed that no country can truly digitize without consistent electricity and affordable, reliable connectivity.
“Nigeria cannot afford to leave more than half its people disconnected if we want to tap into the enormous opportunities of digital trade,” she warned. “The gap must be closed, and it will require deliberate investment in infrastructure.”
Nigeria is among four countries, alongside Jordan, Mongolia, and the Dominican Republic, selected for the WEIDE Fund’s 2024 rollout after a highly competitive process.
The Nigerian Export Promotion Council, headed by Executive Director Nonye Ayeni, will oversee the program locally.
Out of more than 67,000 Nigerian women entrepreneurs who applied, the number of beneficiaries was expanded from 100 to 146 due to the high quality of submissions. Sixteen recipients in the “Booster Track” will each receive up to $30,000 and 18 months of technical support, while 130 others in the “Discovery Track” will each get up to $5,000 along with a year of business assistance.
The beneficiaries operate in diverse sectors, including agriculture, IT, fashion, hospitality, beauty, and manufacturing.
Highlighting that digital trade, valued at $4.25 trillion globally, is the fastest-growing segment of commerce, Okonjo-Iweala lamented Africa’s less than 1 percent share. She called for stronger coordination between the Ministries of Communications, Industry, and Power to bridge the connectivity gap and empower women to compete internationally.
“When women trade beyond their borders, they earn nearly three times more than those serving only local markets,” she noted. “This fund gives Nigerian women the skills, tools, and access needed to multiply those gains.”
Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, pledged full government support, describing women’s empathy as a “superpower” that drives lasting business solutions.
Also speaking, the President of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Agriculture, Dr. Dele Oye, hailed the initiative as a boost to Nigeria’s participation in the digital economy and a step toward achieving the nation’s $1 trillion GDP target.