Two hundred women artisans and entrepreneurs have completed HERTISAN Cohort 2.0, an enterprise development programme run by Emerging Communities that aims to strengthen financial literacy and business management skills. The graduation ceremony took place on October 16, 2026, and the programme distributed N5 million in enterprise awards across 23 participants to support investment in their businesses.
Participants work in trades including baking, floristry, hair styling, fashion design, furniture making, interior decoration and event decoration. The programme teaches women how to turn technical skills into viable businesses by helping them understand production costs, assess profitability, manage cash flow, keep records and make informed decisions about reinvestment and growth. According to Emerging Communities, HERTISAN fills a gap between knowing a trade and having the financial knowledge needed to run it successfully.
Dr Seyi Tytler, Executive Director of Emerging Communities, said the programme's aim went beyond training numbers. "It is to help more women build businesses that can grow, withstand financial shocks and create lasting economic value," he said. The enterprise awards recognised outstanding participants and were designed to connect business training with practical financial support for investment in their trades.
Fidelity Bank served as headline sponsor through its HerFidelity programme, while government partners included the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund and the Lagos State Residents Registration Agency. Emerging Communities said the partnerships combined financial-sector support with public-sector engagement to expand opportunities for women entrepreneurs. The organisation identified financial institutions, development organisations, corporate foundations and government agencies as potential partners for future support.
The second cohort built on the programme's first edition, continuing to help women artisans manage their businesses more effectively and strengthen their livelihoods. For women artisans operating informal microenterprises, access to both training and capital can help make their businesses more resilient and profitable.