Unity Bank Plc has set aside N12 million grant for members of National Youth Service Corps, NYSC to pursue business opportunities, under the Corpreneurship Challenge for 2020 Batch B corps members.
Under the mentoring programme, participating corps members are expected to develop business models to qualify for the grants.
The Tomi Soemfun-led deposit money bank, DMB, said in a statement, that the scheme has taken off in four states which include Lagos, Edo, Ogun and the FCT, adding that plans are in top gear to expand the programme to other states in the country.
The retail lender said it’s collaborating with Skill Acquisition Entrepreneur Development, SAED to ensure the success of the novel programme in selected states and various orientation camps.
According to the Divisional Head, Retail, SME & E-Business, Olufunwa Akinmade the Corpreneurship challenge was launched in 2019 as a value addition to the youth market, adding that “over the period, twenty-four serving corps members have benefited from the programme and have been empowered through funding ranging between 200,000 to 500,000 Naira in grant to start and grow their businesses.”
He said “through the Corpreneurship Challenge, Unity Bank has set out on a journey to contribute its quota to job creation by empowering young people through financial literacy aimed at creating prosperity. The Unity Bank Corpreneurship Challenge is instituted to promote entrepreneurship development, savings culture, creativity, business acumen and wealth creation.”
“Indeed, the encouraging feedback that has been received from Corps Members that received Business Grant in the 1st and 2nd edition after successful pitch in the Corpreneurship Challenge indicates that the initiative is creating the needed impact in society.
“Our value proposition is to therefore reach out and equip more corps members by improving the quality of the mentoring programme in the corpreneurship challenge and in the process, build increased capacity amongst the Youths who will become a catalyst to Nigeria’s economic development.”
