No fewer than 578 younger entrepreneurs throughout Nigeria have benefitted from Unity Bank’s Corpreneurship Challenge — the Bank’s flagship entrepreneurial growth initiative launched a number of years in the past.

Over this era, the Bank has invested in supporting budding entrepreneurs throughout a number of sectors to start out companies, create jobs, and contribute to Nigeria’s {economic} progress.

The ongoing initiative lately produced 30 new winners, who acquired a complete grant of ₦16 million through the Batch B, Stream II version of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) orientation course, held throughout 10 states of the federation.

The winners, revolutionary younger entrepreneurs growing options throughout numerous worth chains reminiscent of style design, bag making, pastry and beverage manufacturing, occasion administration, and vegetable farming, emerged after pitching their enterprise concepts through the problem at NYSC Orientation Camps in Lagos, Delta, Kaduna, Jigawa, Kwara, Benue, Abia, Kogi, Rivers, and Plateau States.

At the NYSC Orientation Camp in Ipaja, Lagos State, Fiyinfoluwa Titilayo Ojo, who pitched a soap-making enterprise, emerged the general winner to clinch the ₦800,000 grand prize. Ndukwe Chiamaka Joan, along with her revolutionary Small Chops enterprise proposal, claimed ₦500,000 as first runner-up, whereas Barakat Modinat Olamide secured ₦300,000 to assist her beverage-making enterprise.

Expressing her pleasure after rising as the general winner in Lagos, Fiyinfoluwa Titilayo Ojo described the expertise as life-changing, stating, “I’m truly grateful to Unity Bank for this opportunity. Winning the Corpreneurship Challenge has given me the push and confidence I needed to scale my soap-making business. Beyond the grant, the experience taught me how to structure my business better and believe in its potential. It’s amazing to see a bank that genuinely invests in young people’s dreams.”

Across the remaining 9 states, 27 different winners additionally emerged after pitching numerous enterprise concepts starting from fish and poultry farming to printing, piggery, and cake manufacturing.

Over the previous six years, the Unity Bank Corpreneurship Challenge has turn out to be an integral a part of the NYSC programme, aligning with the Federal Government’s drive to upskill younger graduates and promote entrepreneurship amid the shortage of white-collar jobs. Each version attracts 1000’s of entries from corps members whose enterprise plans are evaluated for originality, marketability, job creation potential, and total enterprise acumen.

Speaking through the grand finale in Lagos, Unity Bank’s Divisional Head, Retail & SME, Mrs. Adenike Abimbola, reaffirmed the Bank’s dedication to empowering Nigerian youth by enterprise. She stated:

“At Unity Bank, we believe that the energy and creativity of young Nigerians are vital to the nation’s economic transformation. The Corpreneurship Challenge is our way of nurturing this potential — by giving corps members the financial boost, mentorship, and confidence to turn their ideas into thriving businesses. Seeing over 578 young entrepreneurs already impacted motivates us to keep expanding the initiative and deepening our support for the SME ecosystem.”

The Corpreneurship Challenge has earned Unity Bank nationwide recognition for its function in youth empowerment and job creation, attracting over 2,000 candidates per version.

In partnership with the NYSC Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme, the initiative continues to function a launchpad for youth-owned enterprises, providing grants of as much as ₦800,000 to assist corps members flip their enterprise desires into actuality.