Speakers at the 6th Global Women’s Professional and Business Exchange Conference and Expo have called for stronger professional networks, improved financial literacy, and deeper collaboration among women as critical tools for building sustainable businesses and creating generational wealth.
The three-day conference, held in Accra from May 26 to 28, brought together women entrepreneurs, business leaders, policymakers, regulators, and professionals from across Africa and beyond to explore strategies for economic empowerment and cross-border leadership.
Speaking at the event, Founder of Blue Power Energy, Salma Okonkwo, urged women to embrace resilience, intentionality, and collaboration in navigating the challenges of entrepreneurship.
“It would not always be smooth, but what we should ensure we do is to be intentional, to be deliberate. We should persist and not fall,” she said.
Okonkwo stressed that lasting success cannot be achieved in isolation, emphasizing the need for women to build strong support systems and professional networks.
“Women must create a network where people support each other,” she noted.
She also highlighted mentorship as a vital component of sustainable leadership, urging established entrepreneurs to invest in developing future generations.
“We should not only build businesses, but also build people who can build others,” she added.
The National Insurance Commission (NIC) reinforced the importance of financial education and inclusion in advancing women’s economic participation.
Speaking on behalf of the Commission, Nicolina Adumuah said the conference serves as a platform that reaches women across different socioeconomic backgrounds, including entrepreneurs in the informal sector who often have limited access to structured financial education.
“When you look at the class of women that are in there, you are not only looking at the affluent, but also people in the informal sector as well,” she said.
According to Adumuah, conferences of this nature play a broader developmental role by equipping women with knowledge on financial management, risk awareness, and informed decision-making.
“These conferences help shape the entire society,” she stated.
She urged participants to translate lessons learned into practical business and professional outcomes.
“What you learn here must reflect in your decisions and practice,” she added.
Held under the theme, “Building Generational Wealth – Wealth Preservation and Creation,” this year’s conference formed part of the broader global movement themed “Global Women, Shared Power: Leading Across Borders – Connect. Exchange. Rise.”
Over the years, the Global Women’s Professional and Business Exchange Conference and Expo has evolved into one of Ghana’s leading women-focused business platforms. The initiative has consistently brought together regulators, financial institutions, investors, entrepreneurs, and development partners to discuss access to finance, insurance awareness, leadership, innovation, and economic resilience.
Beyond networking opportunities, the conference has featured mentorship programmes, investment forums, business exhibitions, and capacity-building workshops designed to strengthen women-led enterprises and expand access to economic opportunities.
Organisers say the platform continues to bridge the gap between formal financial systems and entrepreneurs in underserved communities while promoting policies that support women’s leadership, inclusion, and long-term economic transformation.
As women-owned businesses continue to expand across sectors, speakers at this year’s event argued that the future of women’s economic empowerment will depend not only on inspiration, but also on stronger institutions, practical skills, financial knowledge, and collaborative networks capable of sustaining wealth across generations.
