Union Bank, LEAP Africa Partner To Develop Innovative Ideas In Africa

Union Bank has partnered LEAP Africa to develop innovative ideas in Africa through the 10th edition of the Social Innovators Programme and Awards (SIPA) 2022 held recently.

To this end, LEAP Africa hosted over 1,000 people, both physically and virtually; including partners and other dignitaries, from different sectors across over ten countries around the world, including Nigeria.

The Social Innovators Programme (S.I.P.) supports creative young Africans (ages 18 – 35) from Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Sierra Leone, Rwanda, Cameroon, Burundi, Uganda, and Tanzania with ideas and initiatives to proffer practical solutions to identified challenges in local communities on the continent.

The initiatives of these Fellows cover various aspects of society, such as Agriculture, Youth Empowerment, Education, Science & Technology, Health, Law, and Human Rights, among others.

S.I.P. is a one-year fellowship which provides fellows with skills and tools to aid the growth and sustainability of their social enterprises, such as mentoring, one-on-one coaching, learning and funding.

At the end of the fellowship year, LEAP Africa and partners – Union Bank, Sahara Foundation, and Ford Foundation- honour deserving Fellows with various awards in different categories.

Speaking at the ceremony, the chief Brand and Marketing officer, Union Bank, Ogochukwu Ekezie-Ekaidem, said, Union Bank’s partnership with LEAP Africa for the Social Innovators Programme (SIP), started nine years ago, adding that, “we are tremendously pleased with what we have been able to accomplish in that time.”

Partnerships like this, he stressed, helps amplify Union Bank’s commitment to foster social impact and enable success for the average Nigerian.

To him, “we take pride in the fact that in the past nine years, we have directly impacted over 150 SIP Fellows in Nigeria and around Africa and we look forward to a sustained engagement with LEAP Africa on SIP as we continue to champion the cause for social impact.”