VZCZCXRO1793
RR RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHOS #0187/01 1061431
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 161431Z APR 09
FM AMCONSUL LAGOS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0702
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUEHUJA/AMEMBASSY ABUJA 0306
RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD 0016
RUEHOR/AMEMBASSY GABORONE 0082
RUZEJAA/JAC MOLESWORTH AFB UK
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RHMCSUU/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 LAGOS 000187 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR AF/W, AF/EX AND AF/PD/PA 
STATE PASS TO USTR-AGAMA 
BAGHDAD FOR MCCULLOUGH 
BOTSWANA FOR DROUIN 
DOC FOR 3317/ITA/OA/KBURRESS AND 3130/USFC/OIO/ANESA/DHARRIS 
TREASURY FOR PETERS AND HALL 
RHMFIUU/COMUSNAVEUR NAPLES IT 
RHPHOGB/COMUSNAVEUR NAPLES IT 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON PD NI
SUBJECT: NIGERIA: CONSUL GENERAL RECEPTION LINKS WOMEN 
ENTREPRENEURS 
 
¶1. (U) Summary: On March 30, Consul General Donna Blair 
hosted at the CGR a morning reception to honor this year's 
Nigerian winner of the International Women's Entrepreneurial 
Challenge (IWEC), Margaret Orakwusi. The event was sponsored 
by First Bank and attended by 27 Nigerian businesswomen 
including women from Edo, Cross River and Delta States. The 
head of the Lagos Business School's Entrepreneur Development 
Center led a discussion on overcoming challenges in the 
Nigerian environment, stressing the establishment of business 
clusters that would enable small businesses to share the cost 
of generators; the former First Lady of Cross River State 
offered women encountering difficulty storing fruits and 
vegetables links to Cross River's juice and canning 
factories. Post believes that the IWEC Program is an 
excellent vehicle for reaching out to outstanding women in 
host countries and encouraging not only entrepreneurship, but 
independence, private initiative and networking.  End Summary. 
 
¶2. (U) On March 30, twenty-seven Nigerian businesswomen, 
including seven women from Delta State and one each from Edo 
and Cross River States, attended a morning coffee sponsored 
by First Bank and hosted by the Consul General at the CGR to 
honor Margaret Orakwusi, the Nigerian winner of the IWEC 
Award 2009  The women were given the opportunity to get to 
know one another, chat and exchange business cards during the 
informal, light breakfast. After welcoming remarks by the 
Consul General, Mrs. Nneka Okekearu of the Entrepreneur 
Development Center, Lagos Business School, and Mrs. Orakwusi, 
Managing Director of United Fisheries and first woman 
president of the Nigerian Trawler Owners' Association, each 
spoke briefly to the participants. 
 
¶3. (U) Mrs. Okekearu addressed the challenges of doing 
business in Nigeria and suggested ways to overcome problems. 
She stressed particularly the importance of financial 
planning, rational production processes, and qualified 
personnel. Her remarks were followed by a lively discussion 
focused on the opportunities for Nigerian businesswomen 
despite the many acknowledged handicaps. Asked about how to 
counter Nigeria's chronic power shortage, Mrs. Okekearu 
suggested establishing business clusters that would enable 
small businesses to share the costs of expensive diesel 
generators.  One of the participants pointed out that such 
clusters offered multiple opportunities for entrepreneurs 
such as developing and renting space or providing logistical 
support. Another participant noted that large amounts of 
natural produce such as fruits and vegetables are wasted each 
year in Nigeria for lack of cold storage or processing 
facilities. Mrs. Onari Duke, former First Lady of Cross River 
State, offered to link producers with juice and canning 
factories in Calabar.  Another participant suggested that 
young people needed to be trained in entrepreneurship skills; 
Mrs. Okekearu replied that the Entrepreneur Development 
Center has developed entrepreneurship curricula for both 
primary and secondary schools that will be presented to the 
Federal Minister of Education. 
 
¶4. (U) Mrs. Orakwusi gave a short address in which she 
described her participation in the IWEC awards in New Delhi, 
India, and highlighted success stories of several of award 
winners from around the world. She noted in particular the 
extreme difficulties that women in other countries had 
overcome to achieve their current success. In the subsequent 
discussion many women were again able to exchange contact 
information and explore areas of possible cooperation. Many 
participants also expressed appreciation to the Consulate for 
the opportunity to network with other businesswomen. 
 
¶5. (U) Comment: Post believes the IWEC Program is an 
excellent vehicle for reaching out to outstanding women in 
host countries and encouraging not only entrepreneurship, but 
 
LAGOS 00000187  002 OF 002 
 
 
independence, private initiative and networking.  Partnering 
with a successful host-country business woman, in this case 
the Executive Director of First Bank, proved very successful 
as it not only provided financial support but also underlined 
the opportunities for women here in Nigeria. Post would 
welcome the opportunity for women who are not winners of the 
IWEC Award to self-finance participation in future IWEC 
events, particularly the 2010 IWEC Awards which are to be 
held in Cape Town, South Africa.  In addition to fostering 
positive attitudes towards the United States, support for 
IWEC enables the Mission to identify women in the private 
sector who have leadership qualities and may play a role in 
strengthening civil society, trade and economic development 
in the long run. End Comment. 
 
¶6. (U) This cable was cleared by Embassy Abuja. 
HUDSON