The SparkUp Woman Conference 2026 in Abuja, in partnership with supporting organisations, has empowered 10 female-owned small-scale businesses with startup grants of ₦200,000 each and a yearlong mentorship programme to help them grow and scale their enterprises.
The beneficiaries emerged after a spontaneous business pitch adjudged by three professional judges following a random selection of 15 participants drawn from Wuse Market women, University of Abuja students and other small business participants.
Convener of the SparkUp Woman Conference and Founder of Women Beyond Boundaries Foundation, Elohor Vivian Tunde-Smooth, said the 2026 edition builds on the inaugural conference held in Warri, Delta State.
She said, “Last year in Warri, we gathered under the theme ‘Thrive Beyond Limitations’. Together, we confronted the fears, labels, expectations, and limiting beliefs that kept so many women from becoming all that they were created to be.”
Explaining this year’s theme, she added: “The emergence is not about becoming someone new. It’s about finally becoming the woman God has always known you to be.”
She said the initiative was inspired by her encounters with women through her work as a judicial officer and founder of the Women Beyond Boundaries Foundation.
“Government can also partner with organisations like us who have invested so much in doing things like this. And we know that we can do better and reach out to a whole lot of women if we can get the backing of the government and well meaning organisations,” she said.
African consulting performance strategist Niyi Adesanya urged women to embrace mentorship across gender lines.
“Any female that really, really wants to emerge in their industry needs to realise that you need to look for mentors not just of the same gender but also look for mentors in the other divide,” he said.
He also advised women to pursue opportunities in sectors with strong wealth-creation potential, saying, “Hope you know that there are some industries that have produced most of the billionaires or millionaires in the world. Finance, tech, real estate. Those are the people that have actually produced more millionaires in dollars.”
Representing the Kukah Centre, Reverend Father Atta Barkindo said the Kukah Centre was ready to support future interventions through contextual research and evidence-based collaboration, urging participants to remember women living on the margins.
On the conference theme, he said, “Stepping into the light is more than a beautiful phrase. It is a call to courage. It is a reminder that every woman carries within her some unique gifts, untapped potential, and a purpose that the world is waiting to see.”
Nigerian creative Anita Asuoha urged women to develop the right mindset and focus on creating value as the foundation for lasting wealth.
“Do you want to build wealth? Do you want to achieve financial freedom? It all begins with your mindset. Your mindset is the bedrock of success. Wealth is the consequence of creating value. Many of us make the mistake of chasing money; I have made that mistake myself. Instead, spend your time creating value, and the money will follow.”
Supporting the initiative, the National Chairperson of the PENGASSAN Women Commission, Dr Ada Mbanaso, said:
“This is the kind of initiative we are proud to support. Empowering women is at the heart of our vision and mission. Accordingly, the Commission will support the empowerment of two additional women.”
The conference underscored the importance of partnerships, entrepreneurship, mentorship and leadership development in expanding opportunities for women. Speakers emphasised that empowering more women to participate fully in the economy would drive inclusive growth and contribute significantly to national development.
