Unity Bank Corpreneurship Challenge Awards ₦800,000 to OAU, UNN Graduates

Unity Bank Plc has announced the latest winners of its flagship youth enterprise initiative, the Corpreneurship Challenge, following the completion of the Business Pitch segment held during the Batch C, Stream 2 National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) orientation programme across 10 states of the federation.

The competition showcased fresh graduates from prominent tertiary institutions, including Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), and The Polytechnic, Ibadan, who emerged as top performers after presenting innovative and commercially viable business ideas spanning fashion, agribusiness, footwear production, manufacturing, and service-based ventures.

At the Lagos State NYSC Orientation Camp, Awolumate Fawaz Babatunde, a Civil Engineering graduate of The Polytechnic, Ibadan, won the overall grand prize of ₦800,000 after pitching a fashion design enterprise. Ugwoke Daniel Ifechukwu, a graduate of UNN, secured the first runner-up position, receiving ₦500,000 to support the take-off of his business.

In Rivers State, Abdur-Razaq Sayfullah Adebola, an OAU graduate, emerged winner at the Nonwa-Gbam Tai Orientation Camp with a footwear manufacturing proposal, while Olatunde Esther Funmilayo of Olabisi Onabanjo University won the Kwara State contest after presenting a deodorant production and services concept.

Additional winners were recorded in Abuja, Niger, Adamawa, Jigawa, Plateau, Kaduna, and Delta States, highlighting the expanding national footprint and growing socio-economic relevance of the initiative.
Speaking on the outcome of the latest edition, Mrs. Adenike Abimbola, Divisional Head, Retail, SME & E-Business at Unity Bank Plc, said the Corpreneurship Challenge reflects the bank’s sustained commitment to youth empowerment, entrepreneurship development, and job creation.

She explained that the programme was designed to bridge the funding, mentorship, and confidence gap faced by many young graduates who possess viable business ideas but lack the resources to transform them into sustainable enterprises.

Abimbola added that each edition continues to reveal innovation, resilience, and a strong value-creation mindset among Nigerian youths, noting that early-stage entrepreneurial support contributes not only to individual success but also to the growth of Nigeria’s SME ecosystem and broader economic stability.

Delivered in partnership with the NYSC Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) initiative, the Corpreneurship Challenge has evolved into a major feature of NYSC orientation activities nationwide. Since inception, the programme has produced 638 young entrepreneurs and disbursed grants valued at up to ₦300 million to support business start-ups and expansion.

The initiative aligns with the Federal Government’s drive to promote self-employment and entrepreneurship among graduates, particularly amid the shrinking availability of traditional white-collar jobs.
Unity Bank reaffirmed its commitment to expanding the reach and impact of the Corpreneurship Challenge, positioning the programme as a strategic platform for advancing financial inclusion, sustainable job creation, and long-term economic growth in Nigeria.

Unity Bank’s Corpreneurship Challenge produces new entrepreneurs nationwide as fresh graduates from OAU, UNN, and other institutions win grants of up to ₦800,000 to launch sustainable businesses.