By Kelvin Obambon
She Means Business, a global community supporting female entrepreneurs, has announced that its inaugural African Women in Business Expo will take place in Calabar, the Cross River State capital. The three-day event will bring together over 300 businesswomen vying for mentorship, international growth opportunities, and financial grants ranging from ₦100,000 to ₦500,000.
Speaking during an interactive session in Calabar, on Wednesday, Mary Colette Ekong, Founding Member of She Means Business and Lead for the organization’s African division, revealed that bringing the regional showcase to Cross River was a deliberate effort to decentralize access to opportunity, which is typically concentrated in major commercial hubs.
“When things like this happen, they usually remain in Lagos,” Ekong said. “We had to fight for it to be brought to Calabar because everybody wanted it to be in Lagos. But I had to tell them that my state is safe, and my people are welcoming. This is a city that is known for tourism and hospitality. It’s in-built.”
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Ekong noted that the expo aims to change local mindsets and address a gap in visible female business mentorship across the region. With over 50,000 members operating across 20 countries, the Qatar-headquartered organization provides structural guidance, scaling capital, and access to international markets for small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs).
According to her, beyond immediate funding, participants will gain access to the community’s accelerator program and the SME App platform, designed to help local creators and service providers tap into global export markets.
“I don’t even believe in giving people free money,” Ekong stated. “I believe in helping you to be able to fish, not just to give you the fish to eat. I believe in that whole process whereby you come, sit down, learn how to go from point A to point B. Technology has made it very easy, whereby you can stay in your house and make so much money, you just need the right information.”
She added that while cash rewards will be granted to top performers, all applicants will receive alternative forms of backing, including free platform subscriptions, post-event tracking, and intensive two-to-four-week structured accelerator training to ensure long-term business sustainability.
The expo has drawn support from the state government, with Her Excellency, the Wife of the Governor, Bishop Eyoanwan Otu, serving as chief host, alongside international founding team members such as Shelly McQueen, an investor and Grenadian prime minister aspirant representing the Caribbean region.
The three-day itinerary covers pitching, executive panels, and final grant allocations, begining from August 13–14 at the Calabar Municipal Hall. It will also feature interactive pitch sessions where over 300 applicants deliver one-minute presentations to a panel of judges. On August 15 at the Dome, the grand finale will feature 10 guest speakers, two panel sessions, and the final presentation of grants.
As a special highlight, one participant will win an all-expense-paid trip to represent the region at the Global Women in Business Conference in Doha, Qatar.
