Union Bank’s alpher Empowers 98 Women Entrepreneurs with Skills, Mentorship, Funding
In a significant move to bolster women-led businesses in Nigeria, Union Bank of Nigeria’s dedicated women’s platform, alpher, has partnered with Zuri Circle Network (ZCN) to empower 98 female entrepreneurs through the Fearless Female Founders (FFF) 2.0 Accelerator Programme.
This strategic initiative aims to bridge the critical gap in access to capital, business knowledge, mentorship, and opportunities for sustainable growth faced by women entrepreneurs across the country.
The programme garnered an impressive 2,810 applications from women entrepreneurs nationwide, with 98 founders selected after a comprehensive screening process that included business verification and compliance checks.
As part of its commitment to fostering women’s entrepreneurship, Union Bank also awarded grants to five women-led businesses that emerged as final winners during the programme’s 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 rigorous screening process that evaluated business registration, operational viability, and financial record keeping, ensuring that the entrepreneurs chosen demonstrated strong potential for sustainable growth and investment readiness.
The final cohort showcased Nigeria’s diverse entrepreneurial landscape, with businesses spanning agriculture, fashion, food production, technology, manufacturing, retail, and professional services.
Throughout the programme, participants benefited from practical business development support aimed at strengthening operations, improving financial management, boosting competitiveness, and positioning their enterprises for expansion.
Speaking on the partnership, Vivian Imoh-Itah, Head of Retail Banking at Union Bank of Nigeria, reaffirmed the bank’s dedication to creating opportunities for women to thrive.
“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.
“By investing in enterprises owned by women, we are not only empowering individual founders but also contributing to economic growth, job creation, and greater financial inclusion across Nigeria,” she added.
This initiative tackles a persistent challenge within Nigeria’s business environment, where many women entrepreneurs face barriers in accessing formal financing and expansion opportunities despite their significant contribution to the economy.
Through the partnership between alpher and Zuri Circle Network, the Fearless Female Founders 2.0 Accelerator aims to close this gap by connecting women-led businesses with vital funding, knowledge, networks, and resources needed to become investment-ready and achieve sustainable growth.
The collaboration further underscores Union Bank’s commitment to empowering women through innovative financial solutions, strategic partnerships, capacity-building programmes, and enhanced access to financial services.
Since its inception, alpher has continued to champion initiatives supporting women at various stages of their entrepreneurial journey, helping them attain greater financial independence and business success.
With programmes like the Fearless Female Founders Accelerator, Union Bank demonstrates its ongoing dedication to supporting women entrepreneurs, promoting financial inclusion, and contributing to Nigeria’s economic growth.
