By Francisca Sinjae
The ELOY Foundation Business Shower 2025 made a power-packed stop in Abuja this year, and what an impact it left on both budding and established women entrepreneurs. The event delivered real strategies, honest questions, and tools to help women take ownership of their business journeys.
At the center of the day’s sessions was Dr. Tewa Onasanya, founder of the ELOY Awards, with 22 years of business experience. She opened the room with thought-provoking questions: “Are you building your business to survive or to succeed?” and “What belief might be limiting your business today?”
Her session explored how mindset influences business outcomes. “Whatever you focus on grows,” she said. She encouraged participants to identify limiting beliefs, shift from fear to action, and stop repeating patterns that don’t work. “If you’ve done it before, you won’t be scared. And if you haven’t, start anyway.”
According to her, belief in yourself, awareness of your habits, and taking control of your thoughts are critical in business and life.
Tewa shared how successful businesses require structure, clear vision, documented systems, visibility, and financial clarity. She reminded attendees to separate business finances from personal money, register their ventures, create a pitch deck, and be ready for growth opportunities.
Her message was about being intentional: about your words, appearance, goals, and daily habits. “You are either growing or staying stuck.”
An important moment during the event was the live recruitment for the ELOY Foundation’s Sustainable Empowerment Program, a 3-month virtual training that ends with a grant opportunity.
Applications were taken right there at the Abuja event, and the Business Shower continues in Ogun State (July 10th), Akwa Ibom (July 17th), and Lagos (July 19th, 2025).
Chayla Shagaya, Senior Special Assistant to the President of the Republic of Nigeria on Entrepreneurship development in Innovation and Digital Economy , emphasized the importance of using social platforms wisely to grow a business, and highlighted the value of having both health and business insurance as part of any serious entrepreneurial plan.
Dr. May Ikeora-Amamgbo, social impact strategist, entrepreneur and CEO L’Avyanna skin, took the room straight to the core of what makes a business work: sales and markets. She reminded participants that if they are not selling, something isn’t working. She shared how traditional markets are still creating quiet billionaires across Nigeria, and how digital spaces, while accessible require clear strategies.
She also encouraged building a strong offline presence, identifying a niche, understanding one’s target market, and using visual storytelling. Her advice was straightforward: “Sales don’t happen by chance. They happen by design.”
Dr. Sarah Samuel Amana,financial expert and founder of the Rich Aunty Finance app, gave a clear breakdown of financial literacy for women. She debunked common money myths that hold women back, and explained the basics of budgeting (50% needs, 30% wants, 20% savings), the difference between saving to spend and saving to build, the importance of an emergency fund, and how to start small with investing. She stressed that financially literate women raise confident children, support their partners, and change communities. “Wealth is built on decisions, not just income,” she said.
Dr. Mercy Dawudi (Madam Merola), A Transformed life coach, closed the day by focusing on personal branding. She introduced the 6 Ps of Branding: Purpose, Personality, Perception, Promise, People, and Positioning, and reminded everyone that you are a brand whether you realize it or not. She encouraged participants to define what they want to be known for and to align their behavior, speech, and appearance with that image. “Branding is a lifestyle. If you don’t live it, people won’t remember it.”
By the end of the day, participants walked away with clarity, practical steps, and a renewed sense of ownership over their businesses. The Abuja edition of the ELOY Foundation Business Shower was a timely reminder that women are not here to just get by, but to build and grow with purpose.
Key Takeaways:
- Fix your mindset: success starts with what you believe about yourself.
- Start before you feel ready: take one step and keep going.
- Build structure: write your vision, set up systems, separate your finances.
- Understand your market and your customer.
- Learn the basics of budgeting, saving, and investing.
- Create a personal brand people can trust and remember.
Plug into the ELOY Sustainable Empowerment Program and position your business for visibility and support.
Call to Action:
Choose a new habit weekly. Commit. Plug in.
The time to move from “I’m not ready” to “I will learn as I grow” IS NOW.
