Unity bank announces agric, fashion entrepreneurs, others as winners of N10M Corpreneurship challenge grant

Unity Bank Plc, a Nigerian lender, has awarded a N10 million business grant to 30 corps members who won the eighth edition of its flagship Entrepreneurship Development Initiative, known as Corpreneurship Challenge.

The winners were chosen following a business pitch that took place recently in ten states: Rivers, Delta, Sokoto, Edo, Abuja, Akwa-Ibom, Osun, Kano, Bayelsa, and Enugu. 
Moses Obianuju Gloria, a fashion entrepreneur whose business plan won N500,000 grant for a fabric production company; Emmanuel Godwin Adole, a budding commercial rice farmer who won N300,000 grant; and Okotie Racheal Dokubere who took home N200,000 grant to support her fashion production outfit specializing in office and outdoor outfits for women, were among the winners at the Rivers State NYSC Orientation camp at Nonwa Gbam Tai.
Adegoke Blessing Hezekiah, a fish farmer from Delta State, emerged as the overall winner to claim the N500,000 grant, while Egbelelo Lucky Etanami, a fashion entrepreneur, and Tob Tamaraumien Ruth emerged as the first and second runners-up to claim N300,000 and N200,000 prizes, respectively. 
Other winners were chosen from contestants whose business plans included fish farming, poultry farming, fashion, soap and cake making, printing, piggery, and beverage manufacturing. 

Their business plans were judged on originality, marketability, future employability potential of the product, and business knowledge to determine the winners.

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 reiterated, “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 continue to support entrepreneurship and job creation in order to achieve a record impact. 
The Corpreneurship Challenge, which has earned the Bank national recognition for its impact on youth empowerment and job creation, has continued to pique corps members’ interest, attracting over 2000 applicants and participation in each edition. 
The initiative, in collaboration with the NYSC Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development,SAED, prominently features a business pitch presentation that allows participants to present their business plans and stand a chance to win up to N500,000 cash in the business grant. 
Unity Bank has invested over N100 million in the initiative, which has produced 88 winners since its inception.