Firm intensifies efforts to bridge gender disparities in financial access

QNET, a global wellness and lifestyle direct selling firm, says it has intensified efforts to bridge the lingering gender disparities in financial access through entrepreneurship.

Biram Fall, Regional General Manager, QNET Sub-Saharan Africa, said this in a statement on Friday in Lagos.

Fall said that in line with International Women’s Day 2025, QNET was aligning with this year’s theme, “Accelerate Action”, by advocating direct selling as a viable economic lever for women’s financial independence.

He noted that recent findings from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) 2024 report highlight the severity of financial exclusion among women.

Fall said that inspite of making up nearly half of the global population, 40 per cent of women worldwide remained unbanked, with a 20 per cent lower likelihood than men to hold bank accounts and 17 per cent less access to formal credit lines.

“This exclusion, affecting 1.1 billion women, is not just a socio-economic challenge but a barrier to sustainable growth.

“To break this barrier, QNET is providing structured mentorship, training, and business resources designed to help women establish independent enterprises.

“Direct selling often dismissed in traditional financial inclusion discourse presents an alternative pathway for women to generate income, build financial resilience, and entrepreneurial ventures, “Fall said.

He said that as part of the United Nation’s Social Development Goals, achieving gender equality to empower all women was a fundamental human right and a necessary foundation for a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world.

Fall explained that by offering a flexible and low-barrier platform, the firm’s aim was to enable women become entrepreneurs and contribute meaningfully to their families and communities.

Highlighting QNET’s effort, he said that its commitment to women’s empowerment was evident through various initiatives, such as its financial literacy programme, FinGreen, which was launched in Nigeria in 2022.

The QNET official explained that the initiative was aimed at developing healthy financial habits through education and training in the most vulnerable communities, particularly for youth and women.

Also, Akeem Ajisafe, Managing Director of Transblue Nigeria Ltd., QNET’s local partner in Nigeria, said true empowerment came from providing women with the right opportunities to succeed.

He added that through the firm’s various initiatives, they hope to highlight their commitment to equipping women with the skills and resources needed to achieve economic independence and long-term success.