Enterprise growth and export programme for women launched

The Africa Women Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum (AWIEF) has partnered with Nedbank to launch a new initiative, the Women Enterprise Growth and Export programme.

According to Business Explainer it builds on Nedbank and AWIEF's relationship dating back to 2018, during which the two have implemented the AWIEF Growth Accelerator and investment readiness programme in South Africa.

The Nedbank–AWIEF Women Enterprise Growth and Export programme is a 12-month business and enterprise supplier development initiative aimed at established South African Exempted Micro Enterprises (EMEs) or Qualifying Small Enterprises (QSEs) that are at least 51% owned by black women.

It is intended for product-based businesses and is designed to help participants strengthen their operations, improve their financial, market and export readiness, and access larger domestic, regional, African and international markets.

The programme forms part of a three-year partnership between Nedbank and AWIEF that will support 75 women-owned SMMEs in total, with 25 businesses selected for each annual cohort.

It targets growth-stage businesses that are already operating and generating revenue but looking to scale, with the potential to strengthen their systems, increase production, fulfilment or distribution capacity, supply larger buyers, and progress towards regional or international expansion.

The programme's official in-person launch will take place at the AWIEF2026 Conference and Exhibition, to be held from 10 to 11 November 2026 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre.