Access Bank empowers over 1,000 women entrepreneurs, catalysing business growth through training and Funding.

Access Bank has launched the eighth season of its Womenpreneur Pitch-A-Ton initiative, reinforcing its dedication to empowering women entrepreneurs across 10 African countries. The programme has already supported over 1,000 women entrepreneurs, offering approximately $200,000 in business grants, along with educational resources, mentorship, coaching, and market access.

This season, Access Bank plans to increase its major business grant to ₦7 million, providing additional capital for women entrepreneurs with scaling potential. A total of 120 women entrepreneurs will participate in a three-week Womenpreneur Mini-MBA program, delivered in partnership with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), while 19 recipients will receive grants to help grow and develop their businesses.

Nene-Kunle Ogunlusi, Head of Women Banking at Access Bank, emphasized the program's success lies in the achievements of its beneficiaries, noting that many have expanded their enterprises locally and internationally, trained others in their communities, and won industry awards. Chizoba Iheme, Head of Product and Segment at Access Bank, explained that the initiative supports the bank's broader financial inclusion goals by equipping women with essential skills at various stages of their business journey.

Ifeoluwa Oluwatosin Oyeyipo, Programme Manager for Womenpreneur Pitch-A-Ton, highlighted that the selection process targets entrepreneurs with scalable businesses, aiming to create a pipeline of women-led businesses that contribute to economic growth. Oge Kasie-Nwanchukwu, Acting Head of Group Marketing and Retail Analytics, stressed the importance of sharing the personal stories of program graduates to showcase the real-world impact of the support provided.

Through Womenpreneur Pitch-A-Ton, Access Bank is not only providing financial resources but also building a community of women entrepreneurs who are leveraging capital, knowledge, and market access to strengthen their businesses, create opportunities, and inspire other women to embark on entrepreneurial journeys.