Business
Corpreneurship Challenge: Unity Bank Splashes N10m Grant on 30 Corps Members
Unity Bank Entrepreneurship Development Initiative – Corpreneurship Challenge, targeted at empowering fresh graduates and Corp Members on one-year compulsory national youth service has, in its ninth edition of the Corpreneurship Challenge held across 10 States recently, doled out N10 million grant to 30 winners.
The winners emerged after a business pitch presentation held across 10 States; namely, Rivers, Delta, Sokoto, Edo, Abuja, Akwa-Ibom, Osun, Kano, Bayelsa, and Enugu, with each state producing three winners who took home cash grants of N500,000, N300,000 and N200,000.
The winners of this ninth edition included Corp Members focusing developing entreneurship in renewable energy, fashion, beauty, agro-processing, confectionaries, etc.
Some of the winners at the Rivers State NYSC Orientation camp at Nonwa Gbam Tai included Muoneke Gift, whose business plan on renewable energy took home the grand prize of N500, 000; followed by Ilesanmi Olamide’s business proposal on beauty services to claim the N300, 000-business grant for first runner up. Ekanem Moses Idoreyin’s confectionary business proposal took home the N200, 000 grant.
The winners emerged after their business plans were assessed by a panel looking out for business ideas that demonstrate originality, marketability, future employability potential of the product, and knowledge of the business.
The Unity Bank Corpreneurship Challenge has gradually joined the league of some of the most impactful, youth-focused entrepreneurship development initiatives in Nigeria, empowering no fewer than 100 young entrepreneurs over the past three years.
Recently, one of the beneficiaries in Sokoto, Beulah Yusuf, who emerged as second runner-up in one of the editions successfully launched her recycling business with the grant received from the Bank. She unveiled her products widely acclaimed for addressing environmental pollution and waste management inefficiencies, underscoring the Bank’s motivations to sustain the initiative.
Speaking during the finale at Rivers State NYSC Orientation Camp recently, the Group Head, Retail, E-Business, and SME Banking, Unity Bank Plc, Mr. Olufunwa Akinmade, said the Bank was delighted with the impressive records the Corpreneurship Challenge has pulled so far.
“When we launched the initiative in 2019, we set out to empower the next generation of entrepreneurs that will disrupt the job market by creating much-needed jobs across all sectors. Today, we have come a long way and the Corpreneurship Challenge has lived up to its billing.”
Represented by Regional Manager, Port Harcourt Region, Unity Bank Plc, Mr. Eto Ukpe, Akinmade reiterated the Bank’s commitment to sustaining the initiative and mainstreaming the Corpreneurship Challenge as a reliable and impactful entrepreneurship and business empowerment and mentorship programme in the country.
“What we have today in the labour market is far from the ideal. However, it is not enough to keep complaining. We must make lemonade out of lemon. We believe that the Corpreneurship Challenge has proved to be one of the most creative approaches to tackling the intractable crisis we have in the job market in Nigeria.”
“Our goal is to expand this programme to all 36 states and sustain it for as long as possible to achieve record impact. We continue to encourage the winners to continue to learn the rudimentary lessons necessary to build a successful business. We emphasize that the budding entrepreneurs who take part in this initiative constantly think about the challenges they will face and put the same energy they all have displayed in preparing for this contest in their businesses as they face their post-service year ahead.”
The Corpreneurship Challenge, which has earned the Bank national recognition for its impact on youth empowerment and job creation, has continued to elicit growing interest among the corps members, attracting over 2000 applicants and participation in every edition.
In partnership with the NYSC Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development, SAED, the initiative prominently features a business pitch presentation that provides the participants with the opportunity to present their business plans and stand a chance to win up to N500, 000 cash in the business grant.
So far, Unity Bank has invested over N100 million in the initiative which has now produced 118 winners since it was launched in 2019.
Access Bank has been named Bank of the Year 2025 – Nigeria at the prestigious Banker Awards ceremony held in London on Wednesday, December 3, 2025. Organised annually by The Banker, a publication of the Financial Times Group, the awards celebrate the best-performing financial institutions across more than 120 countries, recognising excellence in innovation, financial performance, operational resilience, and industry leadership.
The announcement was made during a high-profile gala at the Peninsula Hotel in London, where leading global banks gathered to celebrate outstanding achievements in the international financial services sector. Access Bank emerged as the sole winner for Nigeria, reflecting the Bank’s exceptional performance, disciplined execution of strategy, and continued commitment to delivering world-class banking experiences.
Speaking on the recognition, Roosevelt Ogbonna, Managing Director/CEO, Access Bank, said: “This award reflects the remarkable dedication of our people and the trust of our customers. Being recognised as Bank of the Year 2025 – Nigeria is a strong validation of our strategy to build a globally connected, digitally powered, and sustainably driven banking institution.
We remain committed to delivering exceptional value across all our markets while contributing meaningfully to Africa’s economic advancement.”
Access Bank has continued to solidify its position as one of Africa’s most forward-thinking financial institutions, driven by innovation, customer-centricity, and strong corporate governance. The Bank’s strategic investments across digital transformation, trade finance, financial inclusion, and sustainable banking have positioned it as a leading force shaping Africa’s financial future.
These initiatives, coupled with its disciplined approach to growth and operational excellence, continue to set Access Bank apart within the continent’s rapidly evolving financial landscape.
Each year, The Banker undertakes a rigorous, five-month evaluation process involving more than 1,000 applications submitted by banks worldwide. Only one bank is selected per country, underscoring the exclusivity and prestige of the award. Access Bank’s victory therefore represents not only a recognition of its achievements over the past year but also a reaffirmation of its long-term commitment to driving innovation, supporting customers, and enabling a more connected African and global economy.
With operations spanning three continents and a customer base of more than 60 million, Access Bank continues to demonstrate its capability and ambition to shape the future of banking in Africa and contribute meaningfully to global financial progress.
About Access Bank
Access Bank, a wholly owned subsidiary of Access Holdings Plc, is a leading full-service commercial bank operating through a network of more than 700 branches and service outlets spanning 3 continents, 24 countries and over 60 million customers. The Bank employs over 28,000 people in its operations in Africa Asia and Europe, with representative offices in China, Lebanon, India, and the UAE.
Access Bank is a diversified financial institution which combines a strong retail customer franchise and digital platform with deep corporate banking expertise, proven risk management, and capital management capabilities.
The Bank services its various markets through three key business segments: Corporate and Investment Banking, Commercial Banking, and Retail Banking. The Bank has enjoyed what is Africa’s most successful banking growth trajectory in the last 20 years, becoming one of the continent’s largest retail banks. As part of its continued growth strategy,
Access Bank is focused on mainstreaming sustainable business practices into its operations. The Bank strives to deliver sustainable economic growth that is profitable, environmentally responsible, and socially relevant, helping customers to access more and achieve their dreams.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has increased cash withdrawal limits on all channels to N500,000 weekly for individuals and N5 million for corporates.
Announcing the policy revision in a circular on Tuesday, the regulator pegged automated teller machine (ATM) withdrawals at N100,000 daily, with a weekly cumulative withdrawal of N500,000.
Fidelity Bank Plc has received the Straight-Through Processing (STP) Excellence Award from Citigroup in recognition of its outstanding operational efficiency in foreign currency payments in 2024.
STP refers to transactions processed accurately and without human intervention, resulting in a cost-effective and timely process. Fidelity Bank, which has consistently earned this award over the years, achieved an impressive 97%+ STP rate in concluding USD payments in the awarding period.
Citigroup, a leading global bank headquartered in New York and present in more than 160 countries, annually honors select banks and financial institutions that demonstrate the highest levels of efficiency in foreign currency transactions.
Dr. Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe,OON, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Fidelity Bank Plc, attributed the achievement to customer trust and the team’s dedication.
“This award reflects the quality of initiatives we have implemented to simplify cross-border payments for our customers. It affirms our commitment to delivering cutting-edge services in servicing our valued customers,” said Dr. Onyeali-Ikpe.
The recognition adds to a growing list of accolades for Fidelity Bank especially in deploying innovative services and products in meeting customer needs. These include an award from the Nigeria Customs Service for being the first bank to successfully process Customs Duty and the Pre-Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR) on the Unified Customs Management System (UCMS). The bank also won Most Innovative Bank of the Year and Best Bank for Export and Trade Finance at the 2025 BusinessDay Bank and Other Financial Institutions’ (BAFI) Awards.
“We are delighted by this recognition and remain committed to providing seamless, value-adding services to our customers as we pursue our mandate to help individuals grow, support businesses to thrive and propel economies to prosper,” added Dr. Onyeali-Ikpe.
