The Chief Executive Officer (CEO), LELOOK Nigeria Ltd. Chief Chinwe Ezenwa, has urged Nigerian Women in Logistics and Transport to be entrepreneur-oriented, to thrive in the country’s dynamic environment.
Ezenwa said this during the 13th Annual Conference of Women in Logistics and Transport (WiLAT) held in Lagos, themed: “Women Entrepreneurs in Dynamic Environment.”
She said that entrepreneurial skills would help them to be more creative and relevant in the society.
Ezenwa advised women to stop flamboyant lifestyle and be courageous to face challenges.
She urged women entrepreneurs to approach Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) to access loans.
“Women should engage in strategic thinking to enable them to remain in business.
“To succeed in business, entrepreneurs should always improve on the welfare of their staff and expect the best from them,” she said.
In her opening remark, President, WiLAT, Hajia Khadija Shehu-Shabi, said the association had set aside last Thursday of July for the annual conference.
Shehu-Shabi said the conference was an avenue for knowledge transfer, as well as opportunity to meet people of diverse fields and mentors.
A former Minister of Transportation, Chief Kema Chikwe, also the first Female Minister of Transportation, acknowledged the move made by women to be in the forefront in the industry.
Chikwe urged women to do more, to enable them to be more recognised in decision making.
The President, Charted Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT), Mrs Mfon Usoro, commended the strides made by WiLAT.
Usoro applauded its effort in breaking barriers and creating environment where everyone could thrive.
“See how much success has been made! Through dedication, resilience, and unwavering determination, WiLAT has transformed challenges into opportunities.
“WiLAT has created spaces where ideas are born, talents are nurtured, and dreams take flight.
“It has demonstrated that women’s strength lies not only in individual brilliance, but also in the power of collaboration, camaraderie, and sisterhood.
“As we celebrate this 2023 WiLAT Day, let us remember the great woman who paved the way for it.
”Let us therefore honour the legacy of the Founder, Hajiya Aisha Ali-Ibrahim, by continuing to strive for progress,” Usoro said.
The Secretary General, Africa Ship Owners Association, Mrs Funmi Folorunsho, encouraged women in transportation industry to invest in knowledge.
Folorunsho encouraged them to tap the potential and opportunities in the African Continental Free Trade Zone.
The President, Women in Maritime West and Central Africa (WIMOCA), Mrs Tosan Edodo-Emore, promised to continue to partner with WiLAT to enable women to succeed in the transport and maritime industry.
Director, Sincpoint Supply Chain in South Africa, Madam Lebogang Letsoalo, encouraged women to extend networking to other countries in West and Central Africa to facilitate trade.
Letsoalo said that Women in Logistics in South Africa was working towards getting a ship owned by women to support their personal income.
A logistic expert from Cote d’ Voire, Mrs Carine Yemitia, encouraged members to continue making sacrifice, as their effort would be rewarded along the line.
In a presentation, Dr Nkemjiaka Iloka encouraged women to always share their health change status with their loved ones to help them to get quicker solution.
Iloka asked women to have role models to inspire them, adding that they should also be positive and avoid fighting one another.
She said that women should engage themselves in exercise on daily basis, which would help them to be healthy to perform their tasks.
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