Recap 2025: 5 Global Fundings That Economically Empowered Women

2025​‍​‌‍​‍‌ was a year that brought significant changes to women in leadership on a global scale. Organizations opened up their initiatives and programs to close the old gender gaps and create fair economic systems. This movement was in line with a wider understanding that gender equality is the key to a sustainable economy and the ability of communities to recover and ​‍​‌‍​‍‌adapt.

Globally, there was a new emphasis on tearing down those structural barriers that have traditionally prevented women from getting capital and leadership opportunities. One of the ways by which the representation of women was increased in the corporate boardrooms was the provision of instruments to women enabling them to expand their businesses.

Thus, the year 2025 was characterized by a surge of well-planned interventions that had inclusiveness, economic diversification and technological change as their core themes. These changes pointed to a deeper and broader commitment of the society to women leaders and the facilitation of their access to the market in the context of the changing global ​‍​‌‍​‍‌economy.

The​‍​‌‍​‍‌ Global Woman Leader team reviewed the top five major initiatives that were either announced or progressed during the year with each of them indicating the economic empowerment of women increasingly becoming a key priority on both national and international agendas. Individually, and collectively, they signify a shift of the business world ecosystems to be more compatible with women at any level of their entrepreneurial ​‍​‌‍​‍‌journey.

New Partnership Secured €3.3M to Empower Sub-Saharan Women Entrepreneurs

In​‍​‌‍​‍‌ 2025, the IYBA-WE4A initiative signed a partnership worth €3.3 million (Sh478.8 million) to enhance the access of women entrepreneurs in Sub-Saharan Africa to finance and business support. The deal, which was inked at the EU Kenya Business Forum, was a collaboration of Goodwell, the European Union and GIZ. The program, co-financed by the EU, OACPS and BMZ, was designed to promote gender equality and a green economic transformation in Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, and ​‍​‌‍​‍‌Tanzania.

Goodwell​‍​‌‍​‍‌ committed SME loan guarantees for 20 women entrepreneurs and concessional loans for at least 15 more, while 100 founders received tailored technical assistance. The collaboration powered by GIZ, EU and Goodwell leadership was identified by the trio as a milestone that paves the way for women’s economic empowerment and their integration in the green economy of ​‍​‌‍​‍‌Africa.

BDC Launched $50M Fund to Boost Women-Led Businesses in Canada

The​‍​‌‍​‍‌ Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) opened the $50 million Thrive Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition Fund in 2025 to support women in buying and leading existing businesses. The fund, which was first made public on September 22, targeted an issue of a low proportion of women-empowered companies and that more small-business owners were getting ready to ​‍​‌‍​‍‌sell.

BDC​‍​‌‍​‍‌ set a target to raise the percentage of women entrepreneurs after it was announced that more than one out of six SME owners are likely to hand over their businesses within the next five years. To facilitate women buyers, the fund made a direct investment of $40 million while providing the remaining support from the fund to those who are starting search funds. The managing director of Thrive Lab said that the program had opened a huge door to change the distribution of business ownership equity in Canada to the fair side ​‍​‌‍​‍‌again.

WTO Launched $50M WEIDE Fund in Nigeria to Support Women in the Digital Economy

In​‍​‌‍​‍‌ 2025, the World Trade Organisation (WTO) initiated the first stage of its $50 million Women Exporters in Digital Economy (WEIDE) Fund in Nigeria to create more access for women entrepreneurs in the digital sector. Under a booster track, the programme gave $30,000 and 18 months of technical support to 16 women, whereas 130 women were granted $5,000 and a year's worth of business ​‍​‌‍​‍‌guidance.

The​‍​‌‍​‍‌ program was a collaborative effort between the WTO and the International Trade Centre and was designed to support women-owned MSMEs by providing them with better access to finance, increasing their competitiveness and opening up new markets for them globally. The announcement of the initiative was met with enthusiasm by, among others, the First Lady of Nigeria and the Director-General of the WTO, who acknowledged its consistency with the countries' economic objectives and its contribution to the elimination of obstacles.

Sterling Bank and DBN Launched ₦20 Billion Funding Scheme for Womenpreneurs

In​‍​‌‍​‍‌ 2025, Sterling Bank alongside the Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN) launched a ₦20 billion funding programme to promote the availability of affordable financing for women-led and women-owned businesses. The project focused on the sectors of healthcare, education, agriculture, fashion and food and beverage. As per the arrangement, qualifying enterprises were allowed to obtain loans worth up to ₦75 million accompanied by a flexible repayment period of three years, with the objective of eliminating the problem of lack of capital that has existed for a long time and encouraging sustainable ​‍​‌‍​‍‌development.

Applicants were required to be women owners or managers of registered Nigerian businesses operating within the qualifying sectors. By routing the programme through established national financial institutions, the partners ensured long-term, reliable support for women entrepreneurs nationwide, with applications processed through an official online portal.

KCGI Women’s Fund Donated 10 Million Won Each to Two Women’s Organizations

In 2025, the KCGI Women’s Fund made its inaugural charity donation, presenting 10 million won to the World Women’s Directors Association (WCD Korea) and 10 million won to the Korea Women’s Business Association (KOBWA). The charity event marked the beginning of sponsorship activities for the women’s fund.

The fund declared that it would dedicate 10% of its operational remuneration budget for women empowerment and public services. In 2016, WCD Korea, which aimed to secure women representation in business boards, grew to 180 members, while KOBWA, which supported women entrepreneurs, offered women a platform for networking and education. According to the representatives of the funds, this achievement underscored KCGI’s commitment to women empowerment in the Korean business community.