SheCan Nigeria Empowers 26,000 Women, Gears Up For Conference

SheCan Nigeria, a fast-growing women’s empowerment movement, has announced plans to host the sixth edition of its annual conference, following the successful empowerment of over 26,000 women across Nigeria since its inception in 2018.

Themed “The Woman and Her Power,” the 2025 SheCan Conference is scheduled to hold on July 18, with over 5,700 participants already registered.

The founder of SheCan Nigeria, Ezinne Rachel Ezeani,  at a press conference in Lagos, on Friday, highlighted the platform’s mission to educate, empower, and transform women through practical support, mentorship, business training, and inspirational events.

“It is not just about talking empowerment, we walk the talk. SheCan has evolved into a movement that offers real, actionable tools and platforms for women to thrive.

From business clinics and vocational training to mentorship programs and enterprise development, we have impacted thousands of lives,” Ezeani averred.

Ezeani emphasised that the 2025 edition will feature three robust panel sessions focused on personal discovery, business and career growth, and family-life balance, reflecting the multifaceted identity of today’s woman.

Top organisations including MTN Nigeria, Optiva Capital Partners, and Wema Bank, among others, are backing the initiative with financial support, mentorship, and empowerment programs.

MTN Nigeria’s chief marketing officer, Onyinye Ikenna-Emeka, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to inclusive development.

“With 41.4 per cent of our leadership team made up of women, which is more than twice the industry average, we do not just talk about empowering women, we practice it. Our partnership with SheCan Nigeria reflects our belief that when a woman is equipped, the entire community benefits,” she said.

Executive director at Optiva Capital Partners, Ambassador Amaka Okeke, noted that 70 percent of the company’s workforce are women, calling SheCan Nigeria a natural ally in the journey toward building sustainable female leadership. “There is a story behind every success. This year, I will be sharing mine, how I rose from trainee to executive director, so that young women can see that their own journeys matter too,” Okeke added.

Divisional head of retail and SME at Wema Bank, Mrs. Ayodele Olojede, announced that Sara by Wema will be awarding N2 million in business grants to female entrepreneurs at this year’s conference. “Empowering women means giving them not just a platform but also funding and access to markets. We have organized over 14 market access programs for women and developed tools like our SME toolkit, which helps simplify and digitize business operations,” Olojede stated.

Board member and CEO of Ignatia Energy, Olajumoke Ajayi, reflected on the deep emotional and societal impact SheCan Nigeria has made over the years, adding that, “This is not just a conference; it is a lifeline. I recently met a woman who was on the verge of suicide. After participating in one of our programmes, her life turned around. That is the kind of transformation we are talking about.”

Ajayi added that the movement’s success is proof of what is possible when passion is paired with purpose and support. “We have grown from 2,500 participants in our first year to over 5,700 already registered this year. And we have not even started our full publicity push,” she said.