Unity Bank has awarded N16m Business Grants to 30 Young Entrepreneurs during the latest edition of its flagship entrepreneurship development initiative – the Corpreneurship Challenge. Implemented in partnership with the NYSC Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme.
Unity Bank’s Divisional Head, Retail and Small and Medium Enterprises (SME), Mrs Adenike Abimbola, disclosed this in a communiqué issued on Thursday in Lagos.
According to the communique the winners emerged after participating in a business pitch competition recently conducted for Batch A Stream 2 corps members across 10 National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Orientation Camps in Cross River, Niger, Abuja, Nasarawa, Taraba, Kaduna, Plateau, Jigawa, Anambra, and Lagos states.
Abimbola described the participants as budding entrepreneurs developing innovative solutions across various business value chains, including fashion design, bag making, pastry making, event management, and vegetable farming.
“At the NYSC Orientation Camp in Ipaja, Lagos State, corps member Adeniyi Gbemininyi, who pitched a fashion design business, emerged as the overall winner, clinching the N800,000 grand prize.
“Kolawole Darasimi, a budding bag maker, won a N500,000 grant, while Johnson Elizabeth Ene received a N300,000 grant to support her cake and pastry business,” she said.
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Abimbola added that 27 other winners emerged from the remaining nine states after presenting business plans in diverse sectors such as fish production, poultry farming, fashion, soap and cake making, printing, piggery, and beverage production.
She stated that over the past six years, the Corpreneurship Challenge had become an integral part of the NYSC programme, aligning with the Federal Government’s commitment to upskilling fresh graduates amid the growing scarcity of white-collar jobs.
“The programme attracts thousands of applications from serving NYSC corps members, whose business plans are evaluated for originality, marketability, employability potential, and overall business acumen.
“At Unity Bank, we believe that empowering young people to shape Nigeria’s economic future must be prioritised to ensure long-term sustainability.
“Through the Corpreneurship Challenge, we are not just providing funding, but nurturing a new generation of entrepreneurs equipped with the skills, resources, and confidence to create jobs and transform communities.
“The success stories we see year after year reaffirm our commitment to youth empowerment and SME development,” she said.
The Corpreneurship Challenge is implemented in partnership with the NYSC Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme. It has earned Unity Bank national recognition for its contribution to youth empowerment and job creation.
The Corpreneurship Challenge has earned Unity Bank national recognition for its contribution to youth empowerment and job creation-since its inception in 2019.
