First City Monument Bank (FCMB) has partnered with Alitheia Capital for the 2026 W.O.M.A.N. Conference, scheduled to hold in Lagos on September 10 and 11.
The conference, organised by Alitheia Capital, will bring together about 300 women who run small and medium-sized businesses in areas such as manufacturing, agriculture, nutrition and other related sectors.
The event will give these women an opportunity to connect with banks, investors, government policymakers, development organisations and other business leaders.
FCMB is supporting the conference as its exclusive banking partner through SheVentures, the Bank’s initiative designed to support women-owned businesses.
The two-day event will feature discussions with experts, practical business sessions and opportunities for participants to learn more about getting loans, attracting investors and gaining access to new markets.
Participants will also learn about important areas such as good business management, keeping proper financial records, preparing for climate-related challenges, green manufacturing and the move towards cleaner energy.
Nnenna Jacob-Ogogo, Group Head of Gender and Impact Sectors at FCMB, and Oluremi Agboola, Head of SME Asset Products at FCMB, will speak at the conference.
They will guide participants on how to prepare their businesses to attract funding and how to choose the right type of financing based on the stage and needs of their businesses.
Speaking on the partnership, Jacob-Ogogo said women-owned businesses are creating jobs, supporting communities and contributing to Nigeria’s economy.
She said FCMB wants to help more women build strong businesses by giving them the knowledge, structures and connections needed to grow and expand.
Agboola said the conference would help bridge the gap between women entrepreneurs looking for funding and financial institutions searching for businesses they can support.
According to her, businesses with proper financial records, good money management and clear plans for growth are more likely to secure funding.
She said FCMB would help participants understand what lenders and investors look for and guide them towards financing options that suit their businesses.
Beyond the conference, the 2026 W.O.M.A.N. programme will also hold training sessions across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones. It will provide women entrepreneurs with support to prepare their businesses for investment and access to finance.
The programme will also offer digital training through Alitheia Capital’s Nzinga learning platform.
The goal is to help create more women-led businesses that are ready to access loans, attract investors and secure other forms of funding.
The programme also supports Nigeria’s efforts to grow small businesses, create jobs, promote manufacturing, improve energy transition and increase women’s participation in the economy.
Managing Partner of Alitheia Capital, Tokunboh Ishmael, said the programme was created to address the major challenges stopping many women entrepreneurs from growing their businesses.
She said the conference would bring together key players who can help develop practical solutions to the challenges women face in business and the economy.
According to Ishmael, many of the participating businesses already have customers, generate income and have plans to expand, but lack access to the right opportunities and funding.
She said: “The constraint is not ambition — it is access. W.O.M.A.N. 2026 is built to close that gap directly.”
The programme is being implemented in partnership with the Bank of Industry (BOI), Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), as well as other private-sector and development partners.