Union Bank of Nigeria has reaffirmed its dedication to youth and women’s empowerment by supporting the Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce (NBCC) Women and Youth Entrepreneurship Development Centre (WYEDC) Cohort 2 Programme. The initiative, powered by the Bank’s alpher programme, successfully graduated 125 budding entrepreneurs, equipping them with practical business training and access to startup grants.
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) remain the cornerstone of Nigeria’s economy, contributing nearly 48% to GDP and providing over half of the country’s industrial employment. Recognising this, Union Bank has positioned entrepreneurship support as a key pillar of its national development strategy in collaboration with NBCC.
Welcoming participants at the graduation ceremony, Director General of NBCC, Dr. Ebere Njoku, restated the Chamber’s mission to empower women and youth through entrepreneurial skill-building and mentorship. She commended the sponsors, partners, and facilitators who contributed their time and resources to the programme’s success.
The WYEDC initiative was born from the vision of Mr. Ray Atelly, President and Chairman of the Council, NBCC, to create opportunities for Nigerian women and youths through entrepreneurship and grant support. Addressing the graduates, Mr. Atelly encouraged them to persist through obstacles and embrace the journey of business growth, assuring them that they have what it takes to become industry leaders.
NBCC Patron, Senator Akin Odunsi, also celebrated the graduates, urging them to use the skills they acquired to uplift others. He called on the Chamber to introduce internship placements for future cohorts to enable hands-on experience and strengthen the impact of the training.
Delivering a goodwill message on behalf of Union Bank CEO, Mrs. Yetunde Oni, the Bank’s Head of Retail and SME Business, Mrs. Vivian Imoh-Ita, praised NBCC for its efforts in transforming lives through enterprise development. She emphasized Union Bank’s belief in the power of women and youth as economic drivers, noting that through alpher, the Bank has continually provided support to women-led businesses, even in a challenging economic environment.
The ceremony also featured the Union Bank Business Pitch Competition, where three standout entrepreneurs emerged as winners. Evelyn Ekene Ani of Evani.Ng took first place, followed by Martha Padonu of Beyond Photography in second, and Therietta Vershima of La Teriz in third. Each received funding to scale their business ideas.
Union Bank’s sponsorship of the programme highlights its ongoing commitment to nurturing a dynamic, inclusive entrepreneurial landscape—one that empowers individuals to drive innovation, growth, and sustainable impact.
