Post by Deji Ashade (@dejiashade)

While supporting petty traders is commendable, we must also address the bigger issue—mindset.

Our young women and girls should be encouraged to think beyond selling akara, roasted corn, and other small-scale trades. They should be inspired to venture into technology, manufacturing, agribusiness, engineering, and other industries that create sustainable wealth and jobs.

Many successful petty traders today started decades ago, when the economic landscape was While supporting petty traders is commendable, we must also address the bigger issue—mindset.

Our young women and girls should be encouraged to think beyond selling akara, roasted corn, and other small-scale trades. They should be inspired to venture into technology, manufacturing, agribusiness, engineering, and other industries that create sustainable wealth and jobs.

Many successful petty traders today started decades ago, when the economic landscape was very different. In today’s economy, these businesses often struggle to provide a decent standard of living, leaving many traders trapped in cycles of debt and financial hardship.

Financial support is appreciated, but true empowerment goes beyond giving out funds. It is about equipping people with the skills, knowledge, and ambition to build scalable businesses, create employment, and compete globally.

We should raise a generation of women who don’t just survive—they innovate, build industries, and transform economies, just as countries like China have done by fostering entrepreneurship, innovation, and manufacturing.

Empower minds, not just businesses.

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