Nathaniel Shaibu
Experts at the 2026 AMANI Business Summit have urged women entrepreneurs to prioritise mental health, financial discipline and proper business structures to build sustainable enterprises.
The experts spoke at the summit organised by AMANI Muslim Women in Abuja on Saturday, with the theme, “Building Sustainable Businesses with Integrity.”
In a statement issued on Sunday, the organisers said the summit brought together women entrepreneurs, professionals, cooperative members, startups and other participants to discuss practical strategies for business growth, financial management, digital marketing and tax compliance.
The AMANI Coordinator, Hadrat Omipidan, said the organisation remained committed to equipping women with knowledge, opportunities and support to build stronger businesses and communities.
Omipidan said business success should not be measured by profit alone, but also by the values guiding entrepreneurs’ decisions, the trust they build and the positive impact of their enterprises on society.
She urged participants to embrace honesty, accountability, fairness and excellence in their business dealings, describing the values as essential to sustainable entrepreneurship.
Speaking on “Mental Health for Entrepreneurs: Thriving in Business Without Burning Out,” Coach Jyda Labo Mahuta urged women in business to pay attention to their emotional and mental wellbeing while pursuing their entrepreneurial goals.
Mahuta said, “Entrepreneurs become so focused on their businesses, families and responsibilities that they neglect themselves, exposing them to stress and emotional exhaustion”.
She said maintaining mental wellbeing would enable entrepreneurs to remain grounded, emotionally independent and better positioned to support their families, businesses and communities.
According to her, entrepreneurs needed to develop emotional intelligence and deliberately create habits that would help them manage stress and maintain their ability to “keep showing up” for their businesses and loved ones.
She also encouraged participants to develop practical strategies for recovering from periods of pressure rather than allowing business challenges to overwhelm their personal lives.
Also speaking, Dr Monsurat Iyabode Ayoola, who delivered a keynote on “Building a Stable, Profitable and Sustainable Business: Structure, Financial Management, Investment and Strategies for Sustainable Growth,” identified proper business structure and financial discipline as critical to long-term success.
Ayoola said entrepreneurs could generate substantial income and still fail to achieve sustainability if their businesses lacked proper structures.
She challenged business owners to move beyond simply generating revenue to creating systems that would allow their enterprises to function effectively without their constant physical presence.
She said entrepreneurs should maintain regular records of their sales, expenses, personal income and business reinvestment, while deliberately allocating portions of their earnings to debt repayment, investment, savings and retirement.
“Structure is when you know that your business can function without you,” she said.
Stressing the need for entrepreneurs to build businesses that could outlive their personal involvement.
Ayoola also emphasised discipline, consistency, integrity and good relationships with customers and suppliers as important components of business structure.
She urged entrepreneurs to live within their means and resist pressure to spend beyond their financial capacity simply to maintain appearances.
The business expert further encouraged participants to embrace networking and customer engagement, noting that people must know what an entrepreneur does before they can recommend or patronise the business.
She also advised women to identify investment opportunities that could provide income in the future, rather than depending solely on active trading or personal labour.
Another keynote session focused on digital marketing and advertising in a challenging economic environment, with Hajiya Basirat Yetunde Oyebanjo highlighting strategies for improving visibility, profitability and business growth through digital platforms.
The summit also featured a session on understanding tax laws and compliance for Nigerian businesses, delivered by Hajiya Hajara Usman, highlighting the importance of compliance as part of responsible and sustainable entrepreneurship.
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