Unity Bank Rolls Out N10M Grant To 30 Corp Members

One of Nigeria new generation lenders, Unity Bank Plc has given out a N10 Million grant to the corp members who emerged as winners if its flagship Entrepreneurship Development Initiative, known as Corpreneurship Challenge.

Lovetvnews gathered that this challenge meant for members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) program, had winners from across all 10 states it was held including, Rivers, Delta, Sokoto, Edo, Bayelsa, Akwa-Ibom, Kano, Osun,Abuja and Enugu.

In applying, these youths were asked to present business plans and they were assessed based on originality, marketability, future employability potential of the product and knowledge of the business.

Adegoke Blessing Hezekiah, a fish farmer emerged as the winner in Delta state to receive the grant if N500,000 while Egbelelo Lucky Etanami, a fashion entrepreneur and Tob Tamaraumien won N300,000 and N200,000 respectively coming second and third.

The winner of the River state Corpreneurship Challenge, Moses Obianuju Gloria, a fashion designer won N500,000 to start a fabric production company; the first and second runner ups, Emmanuel Godwin Adole, a budding commercial rice famer and Okotie Racheal Dokubere, a fashion designer specialising in office and outdoor outfits for women, won N300,000 and N200,000 respectively.

Other winners from other states pitched in ideas from all areas from poultry farming to cake making, printing, piggery, beverage making and many others.

Speaking during the finale in Delta State, the Group Head, Retail, E-Business and SME Banking, Unity Bank Plc, Mr. Olufunwa Akinmade, said the competition has gradually become Nigeria’s premium business plan contest for emerging entrepreneurs.

“When we started the initiative in 2019, we had set out to inspire a new generation of entrepreneurs in Nigeria. So far, the initiative has resonated with the target audience and there is no gainsaying the fact, that this will continue to have a huge impact on job creation across the country.

Represented by Mr. Abu Igemohia Mohammed, the Regional Manager, Edo/Delta Region, Akinmade buttressed, “As we have maintained, the grants are not a loan and we want the money to be directed towards the profitable ventures which have been selected. 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.”

He stated that the Bank will sustain the programme in order to achieve a record impact on entrepreneurship support and job creation.

Unity Bank has invested over N100 million in this initiative in partnership with the NYSC Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED).

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.