BGFIBank Equatorial Guinea and the Constancia Mangue Nsue Okomo Foundation have concluded a training program designed to strengthen the economic participation of women entrepreneurs and traders across the country, with three outstanding business projects receiving CFA3 million each in non-refundable funding.
The closing ceremony for participants in Malabo was held on Thursday, August 20, following earlier certificate presentations in Bata and Mongomo. The program brought together women from the three cities for intensive training focused on practical skills needed to establish, formalize and grow sustainable businesses.
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Participants received training in business management, financial education, digitalization, leadership, innovation, sales strategies and business-project development. The initiative was presented as a joint effort by BGFIBank Equatorial Guinea and the Constancia Mangue Nsue Okomo Foundation to promote women’s economic empowerment and contribute to sustainable development in Equatorial Guinea.
Beyond the training itself, the program introduced a competitive component through which participants presented business projects evaluated on their social impact, economic sector, innovation, sustainability and potential to generate employment.
Each of the three winning projects received CFA3 million to strengthen operations, implement the proposed business ideas and create new employment opportunities.
In Malabo, Josefa Djomende Ebako’s project, Fresh Fish Fishing, Sales, Processing and Preservation, was selected as the city’s top proposal with a score of 8.1. The business focuses on fishing and the sale of fresh fish using the entrepreneur’s own canoe. Fish that cannot be sold fresh is processed into salted fish, creating an additional product line while extending its shelf life and reducing losses.
In Mongomo, Rania Isabel Ekobo Mahama won with El Gourmet del Campus, which received 8.20 points. The project responds to the limited availability of affordable and convenient food around the university campus. It proposes complete meals prepared for takeaway in individual containers, combining convenience and accessible prices for students, with a main course and dessert.
Bata’s winning project was Puro Tropical, presented by Filomena Nzang Nva, which scored 8.25 points. The business focuses on producing, processing and marketing artisanal virgin coconut oil through natural methods designed to preserve its properties. The product is intended for cooking and consumption, as well as personal care and other traditional uses.
The three projects were selected not only for their commercial potential but also for their ability to generate broader economic and social benefits. According to the organizers, the funding can help beneficiaries move their businesses beyond the informal sector, create employment and provide income for families.
The initiative also reflects a growing emphasis on financial education as a tool for economic inclusion. BGFIBank said the program demonstrates its commitment to supporting the country’s economy by strengthening entrepreneurial capabilities and promoting inclusive financial education.
The ceremony concluded with a special celebration marking the anniversary of First Lady Constancia Mangue Nsue Okomo, with the Foundation providing catering for attendees in her honor.
BGFIBank Equatorial Guinea describes itself as a financial institution committed to the country’s economic development through innovative financial solutions and social-impact programs aimed at sustainable community growth.
The Constancia Mangue Nsue Okomo Foundation runs programs in education, health, social inclusion and entrepreneurship, with a focus on strengthening the capacities and well-being of vulnerable communities in Equatorial Guinea.