Digital Adoption Key To Women’s Business Growth – Firm 

Zoho Nigeria has reiterated the need for stronger digital empowerment for women entrepreneurs, as it partnered with Guardian Newspapers for the Woman Festival held in Lagos.

The month-long festival brought together stakeholders across business, governance and social sectors under the theme “Reciprocity,” aimed at fostering collaboration, value exchange and innovation among women.

Speaking at the event, Zoho Nigeria Country head, Kehinde Ogundare, delivered a keynote titled “Give Value, Gain Growth: Women Driving Reciprocal Innovation in the Digital Economy,” where he underscored the urgent need to close the digital gap among female entrepreneurs.

Ogundare noted that although Nigeria boasts one of the highest numbers of women-owned businesses in Africa, less than 30 per cent leverage digital tools to drive growth and operational efficiency.

“The difference is not talent. Not capital. Not ambition. It is digital adoption,” Ogundare said.

He added, “Smart tools create smart businesses. Smart businesses create strong economies. When women entrepreneurs and leaders have access to the right tools, the possibilities for growth are limitless.”

According to him, digital technologies do not replace the inherent strengths women bring into business, such as relationship-building and community engagement, but rather amplify them for greater reach and scalability.

Also speaking during a panel session on “Women in the Business of Digital Innovation,” Zoho Nigeria Sales Manager, Zubaida Aliyu, highlighted the role of women in creating shared value within digital ecosystems.

Aliyu explained that women are well-positioned to build platforms that encourage knowledge sharing, mentorship and collaboration, thereby strengthening business networks.

She, however, challenged organisations that treat women’s digital inclusion as merely a corporate social responsibility initiative instead of a core business strategy.

“Tech creates a level playing field just as digital platforms eliminate barriers associated with location and infrastructure”

Aliyu further stated, “They are leaving money on the table, they need to think of it as a strategy not charity.”

Meanwhile, participants at the festival also stressed the importance of leveraging digital tools to improve productivity, expand marketaccess and enhance competitiveness among women-led enterprises.

Zoho reaffirmed its commitment to providing affordable and accessible enterprise-grade technology tailored to businesses of all sizes.

The firm which specialises on software applications to manage, automate, and streamline business processes.noted that enabling women to transition from manual processes to digital systems would not only boost efficiency but also support the growth of scalable enterprises across Africa.