A global fund supporting women exporters began releasing its first round of grants this week as trade officials and business leaders gathered in Yaoundé, Cameroon, to mark 10 years of the International Trade Centre’s (ITC) SheTrades initiative.
The Women Exporters in the Digital Economy (WEIDE) Fund is disbursing $1.7 million in initial grants to women-led enterprises in the Dominican Republic, Mongolia, and Nigeria.
The disbursements form part of a broader first-phase package valued at $3.76 million.
Close to 300 women entrepreneurs are currently enrolled in the program, receiving grants alongside targeted technical assistance.
“The focus is shifting from why women in trade matter to how we deliver results,” said Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, director-general of the World Trade Organization (WTO). Jordan is next, with the fund set to launch there in April.
The grants mark a tangible milestone for an initiative that has operated largely at the policy and capacity-building level.
Since 2015, SheTrades has supported more than 100,000 women across 94 countries, built a global network of 22 SheTrades hubs, and advanced inclusive trade policy work in more than 65 countries through the UK-funded SheTrades Outlook policy tool, according to the ITC.
Its policy tool, funded by the United Kingdom, has supported inclusive trade frameworks in more than 65 countries.
Innovation Prize Highlights African Entrepreneur at Yaoundé Event
Phebe Ilesanmi of Nigeria took the SheTrades Innovation Festival prize for Trashcoin, a platform connecting waste collectors and buyers in a traceable supply chain that produces export-ready recycled materials. She received a $5,000 prize and coaching support.
The Robusta Coffee Agency of Africa and Madagascar launched a Gender Committee roadmap aimed at expanding opportunities for women in the coffee value chain, a sector of significant export weight across Central and East Africa.
WTO members also released a joint statement on women’s economic empowerment and announced a new initiative linking trade policy to digital access for women entrepreneurs.
According to the ITC media publication, the next decade of SheTrades will focus on positioning women to lead in the digital and green transitions, growing higher-value businesses, and boosting trade among developing countries.
The event took place ahead of the WTO’s 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14), from March 26 to 29, 2026, in Yaoundé, Cameroon.
