Nigerian Women Team Up for Economic Empowerment

KADUNA STATE, NIGERIA – Working together, women in Kaduna State are discovering new income opportunities in neem oil and vegetable seedling production. 

These women acquired the skills and knowledge to launch their own agricultural businesses by participating in the THRIVE project, which seeks to increase horticultural entrepreneurship and resilience through sustainable, climate-smart vegetable production. East-West Seed Knowledge Transfer Foundation (EWS-KT) implements THRIVE in partnership with Wageningen University & Research, Ahmadu Bello University, and the Ministry of Agriculture in Kaduna, Kano, and Sokoto states.

One component of the project focuses on women’s empowerment, offering business skills training and practical training in producing in-demand agricultural products like vegetable seedlings and biopesticides. A particularly effective biopesticide is neem oil, which is made from the seeds of the neem tree and is popular among farmers.

In addition to providing training, EWS-KT helps participants organize into business groups and facilitates their registration with the Corporate Affairs Commission. Business registration enables these women’s groups to operate as legally recognized enterprises. This not only avoids legal or administrative challenges but also makes it easier for the groups to access banking services, build customer trust, and position their products more professionally in the market. (Newly received business registration certificates appear in both of the photos below.)

One notable success story is Farin Kasa Women Seedling Producers Ventures, which has mastered both the production and the marketing of seedlings in Soba Local Government Area. So far, the group has sold 630 seedlings, generating income for its members and demonstrating the viability of seedling production as a sustainable business opportunity.

Since we began implementing the THRIVE project in early 2025, more than 10,000 women have learned improved farming practices, from seedling production to crop maintenance to harvesting techniques. Over 400 women have also received entrepreneurial training, and nearly 320 women have begun to produce neem oil or vegetable seedlings as a business, with ongoing support from EWS-KT.

Jibis Women Neem Oil Ventures in Ikara Local Government Area has found success through neem oil production, following training that its members received under the THRIVE project. The group has already produced and sold over 50 liters of neem oil, providing an additional source of income for the women involved.

The women’s groups shown here are just a few of the entrepreneurial ventures gaining ground through THRIVE. Their achievements indicate significant progress toward creating sustainable livelihood opportunities and increasing economic empowerment for Nigerian women.

Contact us to find out how you can support women’s empowerment in Nigeria.