Chamber welcomes delegates from Nigeria and Bangladesh (ITC She Trades)
West & North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce welcomed five Nigerian and five Bangladeshi women-led businesses to Bradford in a bid to unlock new market opportunities in the United Kingdom.
The firms, working sectors as diverse as processed agrifood, spices, beauty and modest apparel sectors, were part of the SheTrades Commonwealth+ Programme, funded by UK International Development and delivered by the International Trade Centre (ITC).
The programme is designed to facilitate export-ready women entrepreneurs in securing new business leads by putting them in direct contact with UK companies.
This market access activity aims to bridge the gap of Nigerian and Bangladeshi women-led businesses with UK markets, addressing the gender and regulatory hurdles women entrepreneurs often face in accessing key market information and business connections to export. It also responds to growing UK interest in sourcing products, such as spices, and creates opportunities to increase women’s participation in international trade.
Representatives of the SheTrades Bangladesh and Nigeria Hubs – hosted by Small and Medium Enterprise Foundation and the Nigerian Export Promotion Council – also joined the programme, building up the Hubs’ institutional knowledge of UK market entry requirements and the overall business environment – with the aim of sharing and disseminating this information to women-led businesses and other key stakeholders in their respective countries’ trade and business environment.
The Bangladeshi delegation also attended a networking event, organised in partnership with the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in Manchester, to engage with British importers and buyers, particularly those of Bangladeshi origin, to maximize market access opportunities.
James Mason, Chief Executive Officer of the West and North Yorkshire Chamber said: ”We are delighted to be working alongside SheTrades Bangladesh and Nigeria Hubs, the SME Foundation (Bangladesh) and the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) respectively on this event to connect UK buyers and women-led businesses from Nigeria and Bangladesh working in agrifood, textiles and apparel, and beauty products.
“Chambers of Commerce exist to create new trade opportunities, and our Chamber International team are world class in knowing the emerging markets across the world for our members. This is a great opportunity to meet export-ready producers and explore sustainable and high-quality goods across a range of sectors. We look forward to welcoming the delegation to Yorkshire and we know they will find the visit impactful and fruitful for many years to come.”
Donna Morris, head of events and marketing at the Chamber, added: “It was wonderful to welcome so many inspiring female entrepreneurs to the city.
“Forging new trade links is a top priority for so many of our members and, as a Chamber, we are helping take Yorkshire to the world.”
About the SheTrades Commonwealth+ Programme – Funded by United Kingdom International Development and launched in April 2018, the SheTrades Commonwealth+ Programme aims to foster an enabling gender-inclusive business ecosystem by promoting inclusive policy and data and engaging business support organizations, private-sector partners, and women-led businesses in the Commonwealth countries and its key trading partners, including the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region
