The Women’s Advocacy Training was organized by Business and Professional Women (BPW) Port Harcourt in partnership with CHHELD and CCDS, to equip women with the knowledge, skills, and tools needed to advocate for their rights. The event brought together women entrepreneurs, and stakeholders to discuss pressing issues and explore solutions to promote women’s rights and economic growth. The training had in attendance over 50 Women entrepreneurs, small business owners and stakeholders. This training took place on February 27th, 2025.
The President of BPW Port Harcourt – Nancy Iheduru said this training is aimed to:
- Address Multiple Taxation and Tax Injustice for women in business
- Provide insights into policy frameworks affecting women in business
- Create networks for collaboration and support among women in business
According to the president, this training is focused on how to stop multiple taxation and tax injustice imposed on women by illegal tax collectors, protect women from harassment and discrimination.
Participants learned advocacy strategies to improve conditions for market women, collective actions to stop these issues, and the legal frameworks available to protect women.
Dr. Ngozi Koroye, a technical partner to the Rivers State Internal Revenue Service, informed the women about a new tax payment system. She explained that there is now a designated code (*5224) for tax payments through the Rivers State Internal Revenue Service, and upon registration, women will be issued a Tax Identification Number (TIN). She also shared that her team has been visiting various markets across Rivers State to educate market traders about this new development. Additionally, she encouraged the women to invite the team to their union meetings, to provide guidance and support on tax registration.
The closing remarks was done by the BPW Vice President – Mrs Vera who encourage the women to take every information from the training, very serious. She said the Women’s Advocacy Training is a significant step towards empowering women in Port Harcourt’s business sector. The Business and Professional Women Port Harcourt remains committed to supporting women’s business growth and policy engagement in the region.
