Union Bank’s alpher Empowers 98 Women Entrepreneurs with Skills, Mentorship, Funding

Union Bank’s alpher Empowers 98 Women Entrepreneurs with Skills, Mentorship, Funding

Lagos, Nigeria — Union Bank of Nigeria’s dedicated women-focused proposition, alpher, has partnered with Zuri Circle Network (ZCN) to empower 98 female entrepreneurs through the Fearless Female Founders (FFF) 2.0 Accelerator Programme.

The initiative was designed to address the challenges women-led businesses face in accessing capital, business knowledge, mentorship and opportunities for sustainable growth.

The programme attracted 2,810 applications from women entrepreneurs across Nigeria, with 98 founders selected following a rigorous screening process that included business verification and compliance checks.

As part of the initiative, Union Bank also provided grants to five women-led businesses that emerged as winners during the final pitch presentation.

The Fearless Female Founders 2.0 Accelerator was established to identify, support and strengthen promising women-led businesses through structured capacity building, mentorship, accountability and access to funding opportunities.

Participants underwent a detailed screening process assessing business registration, operational viability and financial record keeping to ensure that selected entrepreneurs demonstrated strong growth potential and investment readiness.

The final cohort reflected the diversity of Nigeria’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, with businesses operating across agriculture, fashion, food production, technology, manufacturing, retail and professional services.

Throughout the programme, participants received practical business development support aimed at strengthening their operations, improving financial management, increasing competitiveness and positioning their businesses for expansion.

Speaking on the partnership, Head of Retail Banking at Union Bank of Nigeria, Vivian Imoh-Itah, said the bank remained committed to creating opportunities for women to achieve greater personal, professional and financial success.

> “Through alpher, Union Bank remains committed to creating meaningful opportunities for women to thrive personally, professionally, and financially. Our partnership with Zuri Circle Network on the Fearless Female Founders 2.0 Accelerator reflects our deliberate focus on supporting women entrepreneurs with the tools, networks, knowledge, and financial access they require to build sustainable businesses,” Imoh-Itah said.

She added that investing in women-owned enterprises would contribute to economic growth, job creation and greater financial inclusion across Nigeria.

The initiative seeks to help close the financing and capacity gap affecting many women entrepreneurs by connecting them with the resources, networks and knowledge required to become investment-ready and achieve sustainable growth.

The partnership further reinforces Union Bank’s commitment to empowering women through innovative financial solutions, strategic partnerships, capacity-building programmes and improved access to financial services.

Through alpher and programmes such as the Fearless Female Founders Accelerator, the bank continues to support women at different stages of their personal and entrepreneurial journeys, promoting financial inclusion and contributing to the growth of Nigeria’s economy.