Zoho Nigeria has called for increased digital adoption among women entrepreneurs to boost business growth and competitiveness in Nigeria’s evolving economy.
The call was made at the Guardian Woman Festival organised by The Guardian Newspapers in Lagos, where stakeholders highlighted technology’s role in advancing women-led enterprises.
The month-long festival, held in Lagos, had the theme “Reciprocity,” focusing on collaboration, value exchange and digital innovation to strengthen women’s participation in business and leadership.
Zoho Nigeria Country Head, Mr Kehinde Ogundare, said bridging the digital gap among female entrepreneurs remained critical to unlocking their full potential.
Ogundare noted that although Nigeria had one of Africa’s highest numbers of women-owned businesses, less than 30 per cent used digital tools for operations and growth.
“The difference is not talent, not capital, not ambition, but digital adoption.
“Smart tools create smart businesses, and smart businesses create strong economies,” he said.
He said digital tools did not replace women’s strengths in business, such as relationship-building and community engagement, but rather amplified them for scale and efficiency.
Also speaking, Zoho Nigeria Sales Manager, Mrs Zubaida Aliyu, said women were well-positioned to drive digital innovation through collaboration and knowledge sharing.
Aliyu, at a panel session on “Women in the Business of Digital Innovation,” urged organisations to move beyond viewing women’s digital inclusion as corporate social responsibility.
“Tech creates a level playing field by removing limitations of location and infrastructure.
“Organisations that ignore inclusive digital strategies are leaving money on the table. It should be seen as a business strategy, not charity,” she said.
She added that digital platforms provide mentorship, partnership and market access opportunities, enabling women entrepreneurs to scale more effectively.
Zoho said its participation in the festival underscored its commitment to providing affordable, enterprise-grade digital tools for businesses of all sizes.
The company said supporting women’s transition from manual processes to digital systems would help build resilient and scalable enterprises across Africa’s digital economy.
Stakeholders also called for sustained collaboration between the public and private sectors to drive digital inclusion and women’s economic empowerment.
