Union Bank of Nigeria, through its women-focused proposition alpher, has partnered with Zuri Circle Network to support 98 women entrepreneurs under the Fearless Female Founders 2.0 Accelerator Programme.

The programme recorded 2,810 applications from women entrepreneurs across Nigeria. Following a screening process that involved business verification and compliance checks, 98 founders were selected for the accelerator.

The initiative was created to tackle key challenges confronting women-led businesses, including limited access to formal capital, business knowledge, mentorship and networks required to build sustainable enterprises.

As part of the selection process, applicants were assessed on factors such as business registration, operational viability and financial record-keeping. The assessment was aimed at identifying businesses with sustainable growth potential and readiness for investment.

The selected cohort represented several areas of Nigeria’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, spanning agriculture, fashion, food production, technology, manufacturing, retail and professional services.

During the accelerator, participants received practical business development support designed to strengthen their operations, improve financial management, enhance competitiveness and prepare their businesses for expansion. The programme also offered mentorship, accountability and access to funding opportunities.

The initiative ended with a final pitch presentation, after which five women-led businesses emerged as winners and received grants from Union Bank. The grants formed part of the broader support delivered through the partnership between alpher and Zuri Circle Network.

Speaking about the partnership, Head of Retail Banking at Union Bank, Vivian Imoh-Itah, said the bank was committed to creating opportunities that would enable women to achieve greater personal, professional and financial success.

“Through alpher, Union Bank remains committed to creating meaningful opportunities for women to thrive personally, professionally, and financially. Our partnership with Zuri Circle Network on the Fearless Female Founders 2.0 Accelerator reflects our deliberate focus on supporting women entrepreneurs with the tools, networks, knowledge, and financial access they require to build sustainable businesses,” Imoh-Itah said.

She further stated that investment in women-owned enterprises could support broader economic growth, job creation and financial inclusion.

The collaboration between Union Bank and Zuri Circle Network highlights the increasing emphasis on combining business development assistance with access to finance, particularly for women entrepreneurs seeking to strengthen their business structures and networks as they expand.

Founded in 2024, Zuri Circle Network describes itself as a pan-African network focused on helping women-led enterprises build businesses, access capital and develop long-term wealth.

Its Fearless Female Founders programme is part of the network’s efforts to connect female founders with business knowledge, mentorship, capital and strategic networks.

For the businesses involved, the accelerator offers support beyond short-term funding by bringing together capital opportunities, business training, mentorship and investment-readiness assistance. The combination is intended to help women-owned enterprises strengthen their operations and position themselves for further growth.

Source: Msme Africa online