Graduates Win Unity Bank’s ‘Corpreneurship Challenge’

Unity Bank Plc has announced winners in the 27th edition of its flagship Entrepreneurship Development Initiative, Corpreneurship Challenge, following the conclusion of Business Pitch at the Batch C, Stream 2 edition of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) orientation programme held across 10 states of the federation.

Corps members who graduated from Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), The Polytechnic, Ibadan, amongst several tertiary institutions, emerged from the latest round of the Corpreneurship Challenge business pitch. Participants pitched business ideas across diverse sectors such as fashion, agribusiness, footwear production, and services.

At the Lagos State NYSC Orientation Camp, Awolumate Fawaz Babatunde, a Civil Engineering graduate of The Polytechnic, Ibadan, emerged the overall winner after pitching a fashion design business, clinching the N800,000 grand prize. Ugwoke Daniel Ifechukwu, a graduate of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, emerged first runner-up to receive N500,000.

In Rivers State, Abdur-Razaq Sayfullah Adebola, a graduate of Obafemi Awolowo University, topped the competition at the Nonwa Gbam Tai NYSC Orientation Camp with a footwear-making business plan. Meanwhile, Olatunde Esther Funmilayo of Olabisi Onabanjo University emerged as the winner at the Kwara State NYSC Orientation Camp after impressing judges with her deodorant production and services pitch.

More winners emerged from Abuja, Niger, Adamawa, Jigawa, Plateau, Kaduna, and Delta States, further expanding the geographical reach and impact of the initiative.

Divisional head, Retail, SME & E-Business at Unity Bank Plc, Mrs. Adenike Abimbola, commenting, said the Corpreneurship Challenge continues to reflect the Bank’s commitment to youth empowerment and enterprise development.

“The Corpreneurship Challenge has been driven by our commitment to boosting entrepreneurship among young people, especially fresh graduates. At Unity Bank, we recognise that many young Nigerians possess viable business ideas but lack the initial capital and support to bring them to life. The Corpreneurship Challenge was designed to bridge that gap by providing financial backing, mentorship, and confidence to fresh graduates at a critical stage of their lives,” she said.

She added that the quality of ideas presented by corps members across states underscores the growing entrepreneurial appetite among Nigerian youths.

“What we see every edition is innovation, resilience, and a strong desire among young graduates to create value and jobs. By supporting them early, we are not only helping individuals, but also contributing to the growth of the SME ecosystem and the broader economy,” Abimbola noted.

She noted that over the years, the Unity Bank Corpreneurship Challenge has become a key feature of the NYSC orientation programme, delivered in partnership with the NYSC Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) initiative.

Since its inception, the programme has produced 638 young entrepreneurs nationwide, offering grants of up to N300 million to help corps members kick-start or scale their businesses.

Unity Bank said it remains committed to expanding the reach of the Corpreneurship Challenge and deepening its support for young entrepreneurs as part of its broader strategy to drive financial inclusion, job creation, and sustainable economic growth.