Ahn ahn! If you missed the scene at Terra Kulture in Victoria Island, Lagos, you truly missed out! The energy was absolutely ghen ghen as the Terra Academy for the Arts (TAFTA) successfully wrapped up its Women Entrepreneurs Development Programme (WEDP). This wasn't just another workshop; it was a powerful, three-day hybrid bootcamp specifically designed to equip our creative female entrepreneurs with the tools, knowledge, and sheer confidence needed to move from informal hustle to structured, scalable, and sustainable creative businesses across Nigeria.
Held over two days virtually and one jam-packed day in-person at the famous Lasgidi hub, the WEDP brought together TAFTA-trained women r youeady to shake tables in the creative economy. It was an immersive experience where the focus was strictly on growth, structure, and, crucially, long-term financial sustainability.
The Real Talk: From Informal to Impactful💡
The facilitators didn't come to play! They delivered practical insights that cut straight to the money matter and the operational nitty-gritty that often trips up budding businesses. They covered the essential transition: how to successfully move from running an informal business to establishing a structured enterprise with proper financial management systems. Participants learned how to define their target audiences, ensuring they were selling to people who actually needed their service, and, most importantly, how to identify market gaps to design innovative, must-have solutions.
A definite highlight that had everyone on the edge of their seats was the intense elevator pitch session. This is where participants practiced condensing their entire business vision into a concise, compelling introduction an absolutely essential skill for landing those big clients and catching the eye of serious investors. You no fit dull yourself for Lagos!
The Panel: Balancing Creativity with Cashflow 💸
The in-person session was elevated by a dynamic panel discussion featuring big names in the business advisory world, who came to drop major keys. Bayo Babatunde (Vistaris Advisory Hub), Faith Desmond (LeanX Support), Funto Ibuoye (Five28), and Uloma Nkemakolam (Pure Delight Edibles) shared their perspectives. Moderated by TAFTA’s Programs Manager, Chinedu Isagbah, the session gave participants priceless advice on how to marry their creative genius with business structure and long-term planning. It’s all about creativity, but if the money matter isn't structured, the business go just suffer.
Adding to the fire was the founder of Terra Kulture herself, the legendary Bolanle Austen-Peters. Her keynote address was the ultimate pep talk, urging the women to embrace consistency, innovation, and resilience.
“Success in business is never by accident; it’s a mix of courage, consistency, and connection. To build something truly impactful, you must be willing to take risks, stay consistent through the grind, and keep innovating,” Bolanle Austen-Peters affirmed. She added a crucial point for every entrepreneur: "Own your story, believe in your dream, and surround yourself with people, because at the heart of every thriving business are the people who believe in and support it.”
Courage and Clarity: The TAFTA Mission 🔥
In his welcome address, Joseph Umoibom, TAFTA Academy Lead, beautifully framed the mission, noting that the WEDP is more than just an event. “it’s a gathering of bold, visionary women ready to transform their talents into purpose-driven enterprises that will impact lives and society,” Umoibom stated. He reminded the participants, “Everything we need to become great already lies within us; programmes like this simply give us the courage and clarity to act on it.”
As the three-day masterclass concluded, the energy was infectious. Participants walked away not just with technical training, but with a renewed fire in their belly, a plan to formalize their operations, and, crucially, a solid community of support. By investing heavily in these female creative leaders, TAFTA is truly strengthening Nigeria's creative economy and fostering a new generation of structured, confident, and impact-driven entrepreneurs ready to lead with purpose. E choke!