Ijidolapo Ijiwoye, Founder and CEO of Tradeflow Africa and Mainport, joined leading women industrialists, financiers, and policymakers at the inaugural Women in Manufacturing Financial Access Open Forum, organized by the Kenya Association of Manufacturers – Women in Manufacturing (KAM WIM).
Themed “Unlocking Financial Pathways: Scaling Women in Manufacturing,” the forum focused on accelerating access to finance, insurance, and export markets for women-led manufacturing enterprises in Kenya and across Africa.
Championing Access to Finance and Cross-Border Collaboration
Ijiwoye participated in two high-level panel discussions — “Gender Financing Roundtable: Challenges and Opportunities on Access to Finance, Insurance, and Export Markets” and “Digital Financial Tools, Digital Lending, and Safety.”
During the gender financing session, she joined a lineup of accomplished industry leaders, including Mrs. Mary-Ann Musangi, Chairperson of KAM WIM and Managing Director of Haco Industries Kenya Limited, who emphasized the need for customized financial models to empower female manufacturers.
Ijiwoye shared actionable insights on how SME manufacturers can leverage innovative business models inspired by the tech sector.
“We can learn from the remote work model to help SME manufacturers establish remote sales representation in target African markets without incurring heavy expansion costs,” she said.
She also underscored the importance of strengthening African Export Credit Agencies (ECAs) and enhancing inter-bank collaboration across borders to promote secure, trust-based trade transactions. Drawing from her experience at the Kenya–Nigeria Trade Mission organized by Tradeflow Africa earlier in 2025, Ijiwoye highlighted successful examples of cross-border partnership models.
Leveraging Digital Tools for Inclusive Growth
In the second session, moderated by Claire Munde, Ijiwoye joined Aliya Khanbhai, Tribe Lead for Wealth & Insurance at Safaricom PLC, to explore how artificial intelligence (AI), digital lending, and data-driven financial tools can empower manufacturers to scale sustainably.
“Digital financial solutions must go beyond convenience — they must drive inclusion, competitiveness, and resilience among Africa’s SME manufacturers,” Ijiwoye emphasized.
She praised Safaricom’s ongoing innovations in supporting small and medium enterprises, echoing insights shared by Ms. Esther Masese Waititu, Chief Financial Services Officer at Safaricom PLC, who detailed the company’s journey in building a robust, inclusive financial ecosystem.
Recognizing Women Leaders and Industry Trailblazers
The event brought together a distinguished roster of women leaders, including Mrs. Esther Katiba, Mrs. Flora Mutahi, and Harriet Ng’ok, among others — all championing gender inclusion and manufacturing excellence across the continent.
Ijiwoye expressed appreciation to Adline Murunga and the KAM WIM team for organizing an impactful and well-curated forum.
Representing Leatherback, a Nigerian fintech, Ijiwoye also noted the company’s pride in being the first Nigerian enterprise to exhibit and participate in this landmark Kenyan event.
Driving AfCFTA Through Local Manufacturing
Concluding her remarks, Ijiwoye reaffirmed the centrality of women-led manufacturing to the success of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
“Our local manufacturing ecosystems are key to AfCFTA’s success — driving value addition, job creation, and intra-African trade while reducing dependence on non-essential imports,” she said.
