The Queen of Warri Kingdom partners with Stanbic Bank to upscale 140 rural women entrepreneurs in the South-South Region through Royal Iwere Foundation.
In a bold step toward advancing 100,000 women-led entrepreneurship in the Niger Delta, Her Royal Majesty, Olori Atuwatse III, Queen Consort of the Warri Kingdom, through the humanitarian arm of the Warri Kingdom Monarchy, Royal Iwere Foundation (RIF), launched the EstablishHER Entrepreneurship Fund for 140 rural young women across the South-South region on Saturday, 31 May 2025, at the Palace of the Olu of Warri, Delta State. EstablishHER Entrepreneurship Fund is a 6-month capacity-building flagship programme of RIF’s women’s empowerment strategy, which seeks to bridge the persistent gender gaps within the Warri Kingdom’s entrepreneurial landscape, raising women leaders who will be catalysts for transformation in the Kingdom.
The fund is poised to scale female, local-led businesses for global impact by providing a strategic blend of capacity-building, mentorship, digital skills, and financial support. Expounding on the goal of the programme at the launch, Her Royal Majesty, Olori Atuwatse III, founder and visionary of the Royal Iwere Foundation, emphasised the importance of placing economic tools in the hands of women who are already making strides in their communities:
“For too long, women have been the silent engines of our economy: building, sustaining, and innovating at the grassroots, yet often overlooked, under-supported, and under-recognised.
EstablishHER Entrepreneurship Fund was created to shift that narrative: to restore balance and ensure that women are equipped with what they’ve always deserved, access to the right tools, the right knowledge, and the right networks. Over the next six months, beyond teaching skills, we’ll be unlocking power and helping our participants step into their full capacity as decision-makers, business leaders, and builders of economic change. We’re not here to give ladies a voice; they’ve always had one. We’re here to amplify it, so it can no longer be ignored because equity is a right, not a favour.”
The EstablishHER Entrepreneurship Fund is structured to provide a full-cycle support system for women between 18 and 35 who currently run early—to growth-stage businesses. Through the EstablishHER.
Academy, participants undergo intensive enterprise training, a one-month internship, and mentorship.
They will also benefit from the EstablishHER Intervention Fund, which catalyses business growth and long-term sustainability.
Since its inception, Establish Her has empowered over 700 women across 3 cohorts, providing incentives and funding support for their businesses, and now welcomes its largest cohort of 140 women. Speaking on the essence and its role in RIF’s broader mission, the Project Lead, Joshua Eze, said:
“At Royal Iwere Foundation, we believe in creating network access, capacity building and end-to-end support. The EstablishHER Entrepreneurship Fund brings those three elements together. It reflects our commitment to reducing inequality and strengthening local economies through strategic investments in human capital, starting with the women already shaping our region’s future.”
By focusing on women entrepreneurs domiciled in Delta State, the programme fosters economic inclusion and strengthens the South-South business ecosystem. This local-to-global approach sets the initiative apart as it intentionally prepares women to compete, collaborate and lead in the broader economic landscape.
Royal Iwere Foundation (RIF) is the humanitarian arm of Their Royal Majesties, Ogiame Atuwatse III, CFR, 21st Olu of Warri and Olori Atuwaste III, Queen Consort. RIF is a strategic rethink by the Warri Kingdom Monarchy to develop the human capital potential of its people by addressing the socio-economic needs through providing Indigenous and collaborative solutions. RIF is dedicated to effectively tackling obstacles and vulnerabilities that could hinder the Kingdom’s continuous development and its capacity to compete internationally through targeted SDG-oriented initiatives.
For inquiries about RIF’s projects, visit www.rif.ng. For partnerships and inquiries, kindly email operations@rif.ng.
