6th Global Women’s Expo: Beyond Inspiration, a Push for Networks, Skills and Financial Power
Calls for stronger professional networks, improved financial literacy, and deeper collaboration among women entrepreneurs dominated discussions at the 6th Global Women’s Professional and Business Exchange Conference and Expo, as speakers urged a shift from individual survival to collective economic strength.
At a time when women-led enterprises continue to expand across sectors, the conversation in Accra reflected a growing consensus: inspiration alone is no longer enough—structure, discipline, and intentional support systems are now critical to sustainable growth.
Founder of Blue Power Energy, Salma Okonkwo, set the tone with a strong appeal for resilience and strategic collaboration among women in business, warning that the entrepreneurial journey is rarely smooth.
“It would not always be smooth, but what we should ensure we do is to be intentional, to be deliberate. We should persist and not fall,” she said.
Her message went beyond motivation, pointing instead to the architecture of success—networks, mentorship, and shared platforms that allow women to scale beyond individual limitations.
“Women must create a network where people support each other,” she noted.
For Okonkwo, mentorship is not optional but foundational, especially in shaping the next generation of women leaders who can sustain and expand the gains of today’s entrepreneurs.
“We should not only build businesses, but also build people who can build others,” she added.
From a regulatory and financial perspective, the National Insurance Commission (NIC) reinforced the argument that empowerment must be grounded in knowledge, particularly in financial management and risk awareness.
NIC official Nicolina Adumuah noted that the reach of such conferences extends beyond elite business circles, cutting across both formal professionals and informal sector entrepreneurs who often lack access to structured financial education.
“When you look at the class of women that are in there, you are not only looking at the affluent, but also people in the informal sector as well,” she said.
She argued that platforms like the expo play a quiet but significant role in shaping broader societal outcomes by improving financial decision-making and business awareness.
“These conferences help shape the entire society,” she stated.
Adumuah also urged participants not to treat the conference as a ceremonial gathering, but as a practical learning environment whose lessons must be applied in real business contexts.
“What you learn here must reflect in your decisions and practice,” she added.
Over its five previous editions, the Global Women’s Professional and Business Exchange Conference and Expo has steadily evolved into one of Ghana’s most influential women-focused business platforms, attracting participants from across Africa and the diaspora.
What began as a networking and capacity-building initiative has grown into a multi-sectoral forum featuring workshops, mentorship sessions, and investment conversations designed to strengthen women-led enterprises.
The conference has also created a visible bridge between entrepreneurs and financial institutions, regulators, and development actors, helping to expand access to capital, knowledge, and strategic partnerships.
Beyond business, it has increasingly positioned itself as a policy-relevant platform, raising discussions around inclusion, leadership, and the structural barriers facing women in both formal and informal economies.
This year’s edition continues under the theme “Building Generational Wealth – Wealth Preservation and Creation,” reinforcing its broader ambition: not just to empower women in business, but to help reshape how wealth, opportunity, and leadership are built and sustained across generations.
