Expanding the rural digital ecosystem to encourage women’s participations with Fantsuam Foundation

Status: Closed

Country: Nigeria

Partner: Fantsuam Foundation

Impact goal: 50

About the project

In this project, Fantsuam Foundation will work with rural women entrepreneurs to strengthen their digital and financial skills through: 'Expanding the rural digital ecosystem to encourage women’s participation.' Through this project, building women's capacity in digital literacy will enable them to use banking app tools, helping them improve how they manage and grow their collective finances. This digital support enhances their participation in the local economy and positions them to take part in broader conversations around affordable and inclusive internet access in underserved rural communities.

Results

This project created opportunities to support and recognize rural women entrepreneurs whose businesses form the backbone of their local digital economies. Participants included women engaged in petty trading such as food vending, recharge card sales, local money transfers, hairdressing, tailoring, farming, and more. While many of these activities already involve digital transactions, the women often lacked the skills and knowledge needed to take full advantage of them.

The training focused on basic digital literacy and online financial services, delivered largely in Hausa to ensure accessibility. This approach made it easier for participants to see how digital tools could directly benefit their businesses. Since most were already involved in local savings groups, they were also introduced to the Village Savings and Loans Association (VSLA) model, along with the SAVIX VSLA digital banking app.

One of the most popular sessions was on cybersecurity, where participants learned practical steps to protect their accounts, identify fraud, and report suspicious activity. This not only built confidence but also provided a strong entry point to digital banking tools like SAVIX.

Recognizing that smartphone access is essential but often unaffordable, a subsidy scheme supported by 48percent.org helped 51 participants purchase smartphones. This has already enabled more women to manage their businesses through the banking app and to share their new skills with peers, expanding the project’s impact through word of mouth.

The training has built a growing network of digitally literate rural women entrepreneurs, better equipped to run and grow their businesses, while contributing to the broader digital economy.

A Story of Impact: Rose’s Journey

Rose, a woman living with a disability, travelled 500km at her own expense to attend the six-week training. After finishing her O-Levels, she had apprenticed in Point of Sale (POS) services, one of Nigeria’s fastest-growing business opportunities. Her ambition was to open her own POS outlet, but lack of digital skills had held her back.

With support from the project, Rose not only completed her digital training but also purchased a smartphone through the funding scheme. Today, she has successfully set up her own POS business, providing essential financial services such as deposits, withdrawals, transfers, and bill payments in her community. Rose’s determination and success embody the transformative power of digital inclusion.

About the partner

Fantsuam Foundation is a female led organization on a mission to eliminate poverty and disadvantage among women and youths through integrated development programs in the Kaduna State in Nigeria.

Visit their website here to learn more about them.