Access Bank Plc has commenced the eighth season of its Womenpreneur Pitch-a-Ton programme, with 120 women business owners selected to participate in a three-week mini-MBA training scheduled to begin in November 2026.

The programme, delivered in partnership with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), is aimed at strengthening the capacity of women entrepreneurs through business management training, improved access to finance, networking and mentorship opportunities.

At a press briefing ahead of the new edition, Nene Kunle-Ogunlusi, Head of Women Banking at Access Bank, disclosed that the initiative had trained more than 1,141 women across 10 African countries over its first seven seasons.

According to her, the programme has also disbursed grants worth more than $200,000 to support participating women entrepreneurs.

Kunle-Ogunlusi said the initiative is focused on helping women establish stronger businesses capable of generating employment and creating opportunities for other businesses within their communities.

“The goal is to create jobs. Once a woman is enabled, she begins to enable others. That is sustainability and that is impact,” Kunle-Ogunlusi said.

The eighth edition will combine mini-MBA certification with business training designed to help participants strengthen their business structures and become better prepared for potential funding opportunities.

Chizobar Iheme, Group Head, Consumer Banking at Access Bank, said the programme also addresses structural shortcomings that can contribute to business failure during the early stages of operation.

She noted that financial inclusion should not be limited to connecting women with financial services but should also involve equipping them with the knowledge, skills and business structures necessary to manage and expand their ventures.

“Financial inclusion is not just about bringing women into the system. It is about equipping them with the skills they need at every stage,” Iheme said.

Iheme explained that some businesses seeking loans do not have the structures necessary to qualify for financing or manage funds effectively after securing them.

“We do not want a situation where a woman applies for a loan and does not qualify because key things are missing. This programme gets them ready,” she said.

She added that participants would receive training and mentorship aimed at helping them build businesses capable of surviving beyond their early years and achieving sustainable growth.

Oge Kasie-Nwachukwu, Acting Group Head, Group Marketing and Retail Analytics at Access Bank, said the latest edition would also offer grants to selected participants.

She disclosed that, apart from the top grant, 19 additional beneficiaries would receive financial awards, thereby increasing the number of participants receiving financial support after completing the training.

Kasie-Nwachukwu also highlighted achievements recorded by previous participants, noting that some graduates had won the Nigeria MSME Awards for two consecutive years, while another graduate secured $100,000 in a separate competition.

Access Bank launched the Womenpreneur Pitch-a-Ton programme in 2019 under its W Initiative. The inaugural edition trained 50 Nigerian women business owners through a free mini-MBA programme.

The first edition also awarded a combined N9 million in financial prizes to its top five candidates.

Since its launch, the initiative has grown beyond Nigeria, with women entrepreneurs from 10 African countries taking part in the programme.

Access Bank said the latest edition would maintain its emphasis on business education, mentorship and funding readiness, with the broader objective of helping women-owned businesses become more structured and sustainable while increasing their capacity to create jobs.

Source: msmeafricaonline