To mark International Women’s Day on 8 March, the Women Exporters in the Digital Economy (WEIDE) Fund announced on 6 March that it will disburse US$ 1.76 million in the first quarter of 2026 to support 219 women-led enterprises in the Dominican Republic, Mongolia, and Nigeria. This first disbursement launches the WEIDE Fund’s innovative grant model, which combines financial support with technical assistance and exposure to a multistakeholder ecosystem to help women entrepreneurs scale their businesses in the digital economy.
The grants include 152 Discovery Grants and 67 Booster Grants. Discovery Grants, worth up to US$ 5,000, target early-stage micro and small businesses exploring digital trade opportunities, while the first tranche of Booster Grants provides US$ 15,000 each to export-ready enterprises aiming to scale. In Nigeria, 141 businesses received support, including 124 Discovery Grants and 17 Booster Grants. Mongolia’s 45 recipients received 19 Discovery Grants and 26 Booster Grants, and in the Dominican Republic, 33 enterprises were funded with 9 Discovery Grants and 24 Booster Grants.
World Trade Organization Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala highlighted that the initiative unlocks digital trade opportunities for women, ensuring they are fully included in the transformative potential of global markets. International Trade Centre Executive Director Pamela Coke-Hamilton noted that the grants address one of the greatest barriers women entrepreneurs face—access to finance—while also strengthening digital and export capacities. Beneficiaries, such as Yluminada Ortega, CEO of Cacao Florencio Ortega in the Dominican Republic, reported that the funding and training have enabled investment in new equipment and fostered community impact, while connecting with other women entrepreneurs provided inspiration and mentorship.
This first disbursement is part of Phase I of the WEIDE Fund, which has allocated a total of US$ 3.76 million. A second round of funding in the second quarter will include 46 women-led businesses in Jordan and the release of additional Booster Grants to existing beneficiaries in the Dominican Republic, Nigeria, and Mongolia. The program is implemented in partnership with ProDominicana, Jordan Enterprise Development Corporation (JEDCO), Mongolian National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MNCCI), and the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC).
Launched in 2024 by the WTO Secretariat and the International Trade Centre, the WEIDE Fund aims to overcome persistent barriers to finance, digital tools, and global trade opportunities for women entrepreneurs. Supported by the United Arab Emirates, the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Legacy Fund, and the Kingdom of Bahrain, the fund combines grants, technical assistance, mentorship, and access to international networks to enhance competitiveness and expand women-led businesses in international digital trade markets.
