The United Kingdom has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting inclusive economic growth and sustainable development across Nigeria as the country navigates rising energy costs and the growing urgency of the climate crisis.
The British Deputy High Commissioner, Jonny Baxter, made this known on Wednesday at his residence in Lagos during the second edition of W.O.M.A.N by Alitheia, a high-level forum for Women in Manufacturing, Agribusiness, and Nutrition. The event was hosted by Alitheia Capital, a pioneer in gender-lens impact investing, in collaboration with Manufacturing Africa, a UK government initiative focused on attracting foreign direct investment into Nigeria’s manufacturing sector.
This year’s event, themed “Scaling Sustainable Manufacturing & Energy Transition for Women-led SMEs in Africa,” brought together industry leaders, women entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers, and energy solution providers to explore the critical role of women-led businesses in Africa’s sustainable industrial transformation.
According to a statement from the British High Commission in Nigeria, discussions at the event addressed the pressing challenges SMEs face amid rising fuel prices and electricity tariffs. These economic pressures have made the adoption of sustainable energy solutions both an environmental necessity and a financial strategy. Insights from Alitheia’s portfolio indicate that renewable energy adoption can reduce operational costs by as much as 60%, highlighting the viability of clean energy in scaling women-led businesses.
Participants explored practical ways for women entrepreneurs to access clean energy, adopt sustainable manufacturing practices, and contribute meaningfully to Africa’s green economy.
In his remarks, Jonny Baxter stated: “We are proud to collaborate with Alitheia Capital on W.O.M.A.N. to drive Africa’s green industrial future. We recognise the indispensable role of women in this transition and are committed to expanding access to capital and capability to ensure sustainable growth. This event reflects our shared vision for inclusive and transformative development, and we are committed to supporting this journey through targeted investments and strategic private partnerships.”
Tokunboh Ishmael, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Alitheia Capital, stressed the economic urgency of sustainability. “We are no longer just talking about sustainability as a nice-to-have. It’s an economic imperative, especially for women entrepreneurs at the heart of Nigeria’s industrial transformation. Through W.O.M.A.N by Alitheia, we’re not only spotlighting solutions—we’re scaling them. In our own portfolio, we’ve seen up to a 60% reduction in energy costs among businesses that have adopted clean energy. This is proof that green transition is not only possible but profitable,” she said.
The event featured keynote addresses and panel discussions with prominent industry leaders including Yemisi Iranloye (CEO, Psaltry), Affiong Williams (CEO, ReelFruit), Temilola Adepetun (Managing Director, SKLD), James Fabola (CFO, Arnergy Solar), Bukola Badmos (Executive Director & CFO, Starsight Energy), and Sarah Ogbewey (Head, Strategic Partnerships, Renewable Energy & Mobility, Sterling Bank).
Alitheia Capital also launched Nzinga, an SME capacity-building platform designed to provide entrepreneurs with tools for scaling their businesses sustainably. In parallel, Manufacturing Africa introduced its Green Business Building (GBB) accelerator, which aims to drive the growth of green businesses by addressing core business challenges and building an ecosystem for green manufacturing and job creation in Nigeria.
The event concluded with an ESG knowledge session, exhibitions from green energy and manufacturing solution providers, and a strong call to action to expand access to capital, strengthen support ecosystems, and enable policies that foster inclusive green industrialisation.
