Impact highlights
Evidence of reach and engagement
The project has reached women across three Nigerian regions. It has:
- Surveyed 1,700 women micro traders to understand barriers and opportunities.
- Delivered literacy workshops to 120 women, despite the opportunity cost of losing a day’s trade.
- Secured national TV coverage through Nigerian Independent Television News.
- Obtained formal testimonials from state government and ICT officials recognising the programme’s value.
- Provided 84 smartphones to women who needed them to continue participating in the digital economy.
- Delivered peer mentoring workshop to 50 women so far. This is currently ongoing.
This level of engagement demonstrates trust, relevance and local demand.
Evidence of impact
Early indicators show measurable behavioural and confidence shifts:
- Women report feeling more confident using mobile phones for financial payments.
- Survey results show increased uptake of digital financial tools after workshop participation.
- Participants report greater understanding of cybersecurity risks and safer ways of transacting.
- Educators and state officials confirm that the programme improves women’s capacity to operate in the digital marketplace.
These changes support financial independence, improve business efficiency and contribute to local economic stability. The project also strengthens women's ability to access online education, healthcare and civic participation.
Why the work matters
Financial exclusion reinforces patterns of poverty, inequality and limited social mobility. By improving digital and financial literacy, the EMMA campaign increases women's economic resilience, strengthens their independence and supports the growth of microenterprise.
It aligns with broader development goals by promoting decent work, gender equality, digital empowerment and stronger local economies. In regions where infrastructure challenges limit access to formal services, low cost, community based interventions like EMMA are essential.
At an international level, the EMMA campaign tackles five UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs), namely SDG 1 No Poverty; SDG 5 Gender Equality, SDG 8 Decent work and Economic Growth; SDG Industry, Innovation & Infrastructure and SDG 10 Reduced Inequalities. Countless studies support the link between financial inclusion and poverty eradication.