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

LAGOS, Nigeria — Union Bank of Nigeria’s 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 programme was created to help women-led businesses overcome challenges around access to capital, business knowledge, mentorship and opportunities for sustainable growth.
A total of 2,810 women entrepreneurs across Nigeria applied for the programme, with 98 founders selected following a rigorous screening process that included business verification and compliance checks.
As part of the initiative, Union Bank provided grants to five women-led businesses that emerged as winners at the programme’s final pitch presentation.
The Fearless Female Founders 2.0 Accelerator focused on strengthening promising businesses through capacity building, mentorship, accountability and access to funding opportunities.
Participants were assessed based on factors including business registration, operational viability and financial record keeping, helping to identify entrepreneurs with strong growth potential and investment readiness.
The selected businesses operate across sectors including agriculture, fashion, food production, technology, manufacturing, retail and professional services, reflecting the diversity of Nigeria’s female-led business ecosystem.
Throughout the programme, participants received practical support designed to improve business operations, financial management, competitiveness and expansion strategies.
Speaking on the partnership, Head of Retail Banking at Union Bank of Nigeria, Vivian Imoh-Itah, said alpher remains committed to creating meaningful opportunities for women to achieve personal, professional and financial success.
She said the partnership with Zuri Circle Network demonstrates the bank’s deliberate focus on providing women entrepreneurs with the tools, networks, knowledge and financial access required to build sustainable businesses.
Imoh-Itah added that investing in women-owned enterprises goes beyond supporting individual founders, as it also contributes to economic growth, job creation and financial inclusion in Nigeria.
The initiative comes amid persistent challenges faced by women entrepreneurs in accessing formal financing and business expansion opportunities.
Through the alpher and Zuri Circle Network partnership, the Fearless Female Founders 2.0 Accelerator aims to bridge this gap by connecting women-led businesses with funding, knowledge, networks and other resources needed to become investment-ready.
The programme further strengthens Union Bank’s efforts to empower women through financial solutions, strategic partnerships, capacity-building initiatives and improved access to financial services.