No fewer than 578 young entrepreneurs across Nigeria have benefitted from Unity Bank’s Corpreneurship Challenge, the bank’s flagship entrepreneurial development initiative designed to empower corps members with funding and mentorship.
The latest edition of the program Batch B, Stream II of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), produced 30 new winners who received a total grant of N16 million across 10 states, including Lagos, Delta, Kaduna, Jigawa, Kwara, Benue, Abia, Kogi, Rivers, and Plateau.
The beneficiaries, mostly young innovators in sectors such as fashion, pastry, agriculture, event management, and beverage production, pitched their business ideas before a panel of judges at NYSC orientation camps nationwide.
In Lagos, Fiyinfoluwa Titilayo Ojo, founder of a soap-making enterprise, emerged overall winner with a grant of N800,000. Ndukwe Chiamaka Joan and Barakat Modinat Olamide won N500,000 and N300,000, respectively, for their small chops and beverage businesses.
Expressing her excitement, Ojo said the initiative gave her the push to grow her business.
“Beyond the grant, the experience taught me to structure my business better and believe in its potential. It’s amazing to see a bank that truly invests in young people’s dreams,” she said.
Speaking during the Lagos finale, Mrs. Adenike Abimbola, Unity Bank’s Divisional Head, Retail & SME, reaffirmed the bank’s commitment to youth enterprise development.
“The Corpreneurship Challenge nurtures the creativity and resilience of young Nigerians. Seeing over 578 entrepreneurs impacted so far motivates us to deepen our support for the SME ecosystem,” she said.
Now in its sixth year, the Corpreneurship Challenge has become a cornerstone of Unity Bank’s collaboration with the NYSC Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) program, offering corps members grants of up to N800,000 to turn business ideas into sustainable ventures.
