# Nigerian women entrepreneurship financing initiatives > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/nigerian-women-entrepreneurship-financing-initiatives > Updated: 2026-10-22T05:51:42.000Z. Sources: 10. Developments: 2. In October 2026, new programs were launched to improve financial access for women-led enterprises in Nigeria. In Lagos State, the government and the African Development Bank introduced the Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA) project. This initiative targets 610 micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises, providing business training, mentoring, and advisory services to overcome barriers like limited credit access and insufficient collateral. Concurrently, the Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN) unveiled the DAWN (DBN Action for Women in Nigeria) initiative in Abuja. This program offers a comprehensive support package, including credit guarantees, technical assistance, grants, and market linkages, focusing on sectors such as agriculture, technology, and healthcare. The DBN aims to expand its reach to over two million MSMEs through a new five-year strategy, building on previous disbursements that reportedly supported 1.6 million jobs. ## Timeline ### 2026-10-22: Development Bank of Nigeria launches DAWN initiative for women entrepreneurs The Development Bank of Nigeria launched the DAWN initiative to provide women entrepreneurs with financing, technical assistance, and market access, following ₦1.4 trillion in MSME loan disbursements. 6 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/development-bank-of-nigeria-launches-dawn-initiative-for-women-entrepreneurs ### 2026-10-15: Lagos and African Development Bank launch AFAWA project Lagos State and the African Development Bank launched the AFAWA project to provide training and financial support to 610 women-led small businesses. 6 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/lagos-and-african-development-bank-launch-afawa-project --- Cite as: Nigerian women entrepreneurship financing initiatives. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/nigerian-women-entrepreneurship-financing-initiatives