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 with the theme, “Building Sustainable Businesses with Integrity.”

In her address of welcome, AMANI Coordinator, Hadrat Omipidan, said the organisation was committed to equipping women with knowledge, opportunities and support to build stronger businesses and communities.

Ms Omipidan said business success should not be measured by profit alone, but also by the values guiding entrepreneurs’ decisions, the trust they build and their positive impact 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,” Jyda Labo Mahuta, urged women entrepreneurs to pay attention to their emotional and mental wellbeing.

Ms Mahuta said entrepreneurs often became so focused on their businesses, families and other responsibilities that they neglected 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 needs to develop emotional intelligence and deliberately cultivate habits that will help them manage stress and maintain their ability to keep showing up for their businesses and loved ones.

Ms Mahuta also encouraged participants to develop practical strategies for recovering from periods of pressure instead of allowing business challenges to overwhelm their personal lives.

Also speaking, Dr Monsurat Iyabode Ayoola, who delivered a keynote address 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.

Ms Ayoola said entrepreneurs could generate substantial income and still fail to achieve sustainability if their businesses lacked proper structures and effective systems.

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.

Ms Ayoola advised entrepreneurs to maintain regular records of their sales, expenses, personal income and business reinvestment to ensure effective financial management.

She also urged them to deliberately allocate portions of their earnings to debt repayment, investment, savings and retirement to secure their financial future.

“Structure is when you know that your business can function without you,” she said, stressing the need for entrepreneurs to build enterprises that could outlive their personal involvement.

Ms Ayoola emphasised discipline, consistency, integrity and good relationships with customers and suppliers as important components of a sustainable business structure.

She urged entrepreneurs to live within their means and resist the pressure to spend beyond their financial capacity simply to maintain appearances.

The business expert also encouraged participants to embrace networking and customer engagement, noting that people needed to know what an entrepreneur did before they could recommend or patronise the business.

She advised women to identify investment opportunities capable of generating future income 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 Basirat Oyebanjo highlighting strategies for improving visibility, profitability and business growth through digital platforms.

The summit brought together women entrepreneurs, professionals, cooperative members, startups and other participants to discuss practical strategies for business growth and sustainability.

Participants also examined issues relating to financial management, digital marketing, investment, tax compliance and ethical business practices.

(NAN)