Across Nigeria, female-led food businesses play a crucial role in producing safe, nutritious, and affordable food. Yet many face operational challenges linked to the processing equipment they rely on; imported machines are often costly and incompatible with local realities, while locally fabricated machines frequently fall short in quality, sanitary design, and durability.

To address these barriers, the Advancing Nutrition Through Female-Led Food Processing (ANTFem) Equipment Fabricators Training brought together 20 leading fabricators from the five ANTFem states. Over five days, participants gained hands-on experience in standardised fabrication, quality inspection, sanitary design, and renewable energy integration, equipping them to deliver reliable, energy-efficient, and context-appropriate equipment for female-led food businesses.

The training not only strengthened technical capacity but also fostered inclusive innovation, enabling local fabricators to better support MSMEs and contribute to sustainable food processing systems. By building a network of skilled fabricators and raising industrial standards, FHSA is helping ensure that nutritious food becomes more accessible and affordable across Nigeria.

The programme and its impact were recently featured in Business Day, highlighting FHSA’s commitment to supporting local manufacturing, advancing technical skills, and driving long-term development outcomes in the food sector.