3 Women Entrepreneurs Win ₦2m Grants From Wema Bank’s SARA Initiative

Three women entrepreneurs have received a combined ₦2 million in business grants from SARA by Wema, the women-focused proposition by Wema Bank, at the SheCan 6.0 Conference.

The grant recipients were Omobolaji Shittu, founder and CEO of Bolat Paints, who received the grand prize of ₦1 million; Abisola Opeyemi of Royal Bags, and Blessed Godspower-Okitikpi, founder of Blessed Flow Cup, who each received ₦500,000, respectively, to grow their businesses.

Omobolaji Shittu expressed her excitement and gratitude, saying, “I feel so excited, I’m happy, and I didn’t see it coming. The application process was online, but I made it through. I’m a lady in a male-dominated industry, and for Sara by Wema to believe in me and support my vision; I’m beyond grateful.”

Abisola Opeyemi also expressed her gratitude, stating, “The application was so seamless. I’m so grateful to Sara by Wema Bank for investing in women like me and believing in African businesses. We can do more, and they’ve just shown us how.”

For her part, Blessed Godspower-Okitikpi was visibly emotional, saying, “I’m speechless. I did not expect this at all. With this grant, I can push my business forward and reach more women with this product. Thank you, Sara by Wema. Long live your impact.”

The three women were selected from over 150 applicants through a competitive pitch process.

According to Moruf Oseni, MD/CEO of Wema Bank, supporting businesses is fundamental to driving economic growth and national development.

He noted that the bank’s focus on women-owned businesses is deliberate, saying empowering women leads to thriving families, flourishing communities, and a strengthened economy.

“Over the years, we have empowered thousands of entrepreneurs through access to finance, capacity development, and strategic partnerships, and we have seen firsthand how these investments change lives. Our focus on women-owned businesses is deliberate, because we know that when women succeed – families thrive, communities flourish, and the economy is strengthened.”

Through SARA by Wema, the bank provides financial access, business advisory, personal development tools, and wellness support for women at various stages of life and enterprise. This initiative aims to create an environment where Nigerian women can dream bigger, build stronger, and lead the economy with confidence.

The SheCan Conference has become a prominent platform for entrepreneurship, career growth, and community, empowering over 26,000 women since its inception. The 2025 edition gathered over 15,000 women, featuring panel sessions on personal development, business scaling, and family-life balance.

The bank’s investment in women is a long-term strategy rooted in purpose to nurture innovation, unlock potential, and build a more inclusive and prosperous society for all. As Wema Bank continues to invest in platforms like SheCan, its message remains clear: women can do more, and with the right support, they will.