Al-Mu’minaat, The Believing Women Organisation, has urged Muslim women to combine faith with business discipline, as it brought together women entrepreneurs to explore opportunities for economic growth and professional partnerships.
The organisation made the call at the third edition of its Muslimah Business Connect Exhibition, held on November 1, 2026, at Government Technical College, Ikotun, Lagos.
The event brought together Muslim women entrepreneurs from Alimosho, Igando-Ikotun, Isolo-Ejigbo, Oshodi and other areas to showcase their products, exchange business ideas and establish connections with potential customers and partners.
Speaking at the event, businesswoman Lateefah Adekunle urged participants to cultivate discipline, consistency and reliability, saying these qualities were essential for business growth.
“Pray as if you’re not working and work as if you’re not praying. Opportunities come your way when you’re reliable and you’ve cultivated laudable habits,” she said.
Adekunle encouraged entrepreneurs to identify the problems their businesses seek to solve and develop comprehensive proposals before approaching potential investors or partners.
She also stressed the importance of confidence, personal presentation and positive attitudes in attracting business opportunities.
Muslim women urged to emulate Khadijah
The Head of Al-Mu’minaat’s Alimosho District, Nimatullah Sulayman, urged Muslim women to draw inspiration from Khadijah bint Khuwaylid, the wife of Prophet Muhammad, who was known for her successful business ventures.
“Our mother, Khadijah bint Khuwaylid (RA), was a successful entrepreneur whose trade thrived alongside her immense nobility and devotion to deen,” Sulayman said.
She described the exhibition as an opportunity for Muslim women to take active roles in shaping their economic future.
Sulayman also challenged the perception that women must choose between formal employment and entrepreneurship, saying both could complement each other.
She explained that paid employment could provide aspiring entrepreneurs with the capital, discipline and transferable skills needed to establish and grow their businesses.
Islamic teachings on business partnerships
A Director at the Lagos State Ministry of Education, Ameenah Abdus-Sattaar, urged entrepreneurs to prioritise transparency, professionalism and proper documentation in business partnerships.
She advised business partners to clearly define their contributions, responsibilities, profit-sharing arrangements and procedures for resolving disagreements or ending partnerships.
“Let’s always ensure proper documentation. Profit-sharing ratios must be well decided and documented to prevent future disagreements,” Abdus-Sattaar said.
“Don’t ignore anything because the other partner is a close ally or relative. Ask questions, seek clarification and don’t mix business with pleasure.”
She stressed that partners should recognise different forms of contributions, including capital, labour, business premises and land.
Abdus-Sattaar also cautioned entrepreneurs against concealing business information from their partners or selling faulty products without disclosing their defects.
Exhibitors welcome business opportunities
Participants at the exhibition expressed satisfaction with the opportunities provided by the programme.
Khadijah Ismail, a sales representative of SamSab Yoghurt and Parfait, described the event as encouraging, saying she was satisfied with the patronage received at her stand.
“The event is actually a great one. It’s going on well, and I really feel we should have more events like this,” she said.
Ismail called for more initiatives that would bring Muslim businesswomen together to showcase their products and expand their customer base.
Similarly, Azeezat Quadri of Comfort Touch said the exhibition had provided her with valuable business knowledge.
“This is my first time attending the Muslimah Business Connect Exhibition, and I’m already looking forward to the next one,” she said.
Quadri expressed satisfaction with the sales made at the event and said she hoped to participate in future editions.
