Minister Hails First African Free Trade Agreement Exporter

The Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, has commended the erstwhile managing manager of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Chinwe Ezenwa, describing her arsenic Nigeria’s archetypal entrepreneur to export nether the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA).

Speaking astatine the 40th day of LeLook Bags and the unveiling of Just Bags, a caller integer marketplace dubbed “the Amazon of African bags,” the curate said Ezenwa’s accomplishment had placed Nigerian women connected the continental commercialized map.

According to Sulaiman-Ibrahim, Ezenwa’s occurrence showcases African prints arsenic a planetary manner connection and demonstrates that Nigerian women tin vie and excel connected the satellite stage.

“Mummy LeLook arsenic we fondly telephone her, contiguous we honour your courageousness and legacy. As the archetypal Nigerian entrepreneur to export nether the AfCFTA, you placed our women connected the continental stage.
That enactment was not conscionable trade; it was trailblazing. You showed that Nigerian women tin vie globally and win.”

“Looking astatine the communicative of Le Look astatine 40, speaks not lone to a concern celebration, but a communicative rooted successful hope, love, compassion, resilience, a 2nd accidental astatine beingness and vision. It is the occurrence communicative of a azygous pistillate who, aft serving successful the Federal Civil Service, chose to physique an endeavor that has grown into a nationalist treasure.”

Also speaking, erstwhile Minister of Women Affairs, Pauline Tallen, noted that she has been highly overwhelmed by Ezenwa’s occurrence and inspired by her.

“Beyond business, she has impacted lives. I was astatine the caller graduation ceremonial wherever hundreds of radical graduated from her Academy. It was a memorable accomplishment due to the fact that we could spot that it meant a batch to the graduands.

“I entreaty to the authorities and influential Nigerians to enactment the enactment Lelook is doing for young entrepreneurs. When I was successful office, I took Lelook bags to each my planetary engagements, and radical ever rushed to inquire wherever I got the bags,” Pauline said.

Speaking earlier, Ezenwa stated that Lelook Bags has exported much than 1 cardinal bags worldwide successful her 4 decades of operations.

According to Ezenwa, Just Bags initiatives volition let for mentorship and besides let African manufacturers to collectively instrumentality connected bulk orders that idiosyncratic producers cannot grip alone.

“There’s nary mode I unsocial tin nutrient a cardinal bags astatine once. But if I bid others and we travel together, past with Just Bags, we tin conscionable those demands,” the septuagenarian said.

She highlighted the beardown planetary entreaty of African prints, particularly adire fabrics, which she says German buyers peculiarly love.

“African prints are the lone mode to beforehand our practice and culture. If you can’t deterioration it, astatine slightest you tin transportation it,” Ezenwa remarked.

As portion of the anniversary, Ezenwa besides inaugurated the Lelook Fellows mentorship initiative, done which she plans to present young entrepreneurs to continental commercialized opportunities.

Linking her imaginativeness to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), she described the statement arsenic a “prosperity highway” and a “game changer” for African businesses. “In the adjacent year, I’ll beryllium successful astatine slightest 3 much African countries acknowledgment to AfCFTA,” she declared.