Zoho Nigeria Advocates for Women’s Digital Growth at Guardian Women Festival
Zoho Nigeria partnered with Guardian Newspapers for the Guardian Women Festival, a month-long celebration of women’s contributions to business, governance, and social development, with a focus on promoting digital empowerment for female entrepreneurs.
The event took place at the Federal Palace Hotel in Victoria Island, Lagos, under the theme “Reciprocity.” The theme emphasized the importance of exchanging value, expanding networks, and fostering digital innovation to strengthen women-led businesses and encourage collaboration.
Kehinde Ogundare, Country Head of Zoho Nigeria, delivered a keynote titled “Give Value, Gain Growth: Women Driving Reciprocal Innovation in the Digital Economy.” In his speech, he emphasized the urgent need to close the digital gap for female entrepreneurs.
While Nigeria boasts the highest number of women-owned businesses in Africa, fewer than 30% currently utilize digital tools to manage or expand their operations. Ogundare pointed out that technology enhances, rather than replaces, the strengths women already bring to business—such as relationship building and community engagement. It allows entrepreneurs to reach broader audiences and grow more efficiently.
“The difference is not talent. Not capital. Not ambition. It is digital adoption,” said Ogundare during his keynote. “Smart tools create smart businesses. Smart businesses create strong economies. When women entrepreneurs and leaders have access to the right tools, the possibilities for growth are limitless.”
Zubaida Aliyu, Sales Manager at Zoho Nigeria, contributed to a panel session on ‘Women in the Business of Digital Innovation.’ She discussed how women are uniquely positioned to generate shared value in digital spaces by developing platforms that facilitate knowledge sharing, mentorship, and collaboration.
Aliyu also challenged organizations that see women’s digital inclusion merely as corporate social responsibility, urging them to view it as a strategic business priority.
“Tech creates a level playing field,” she said, highlighting how digital platforms remove barriers related to location and infrastructure. Addressing organizations that overlook the economic potential of inclusive digital strategies, she added, “They are leaving money on the table — they need to think of it as a strategy not charity.”
Through its participation in the Guardian Women Festival, Zoho reaffirmed its dedication to providing affordable, enterprise-grade technology accessible to businesses of all sizes. By helping women transition from manual processes to digital efficiency, Zoho aims to empower entrepreneurs to build scalable enterprises and achieve sustained success in Africa’s digital economy.