WEMA Bank Rewards Corps Members with ₦2.3m for Innovative Business Ideas

Wema Bank has empowered four corps members with a total of ₦2.3 million in seed funding after emerging winners of the ALAT Business Plan Contest, held during the 2025 Batch B Stream 1 orientation exercise at the NYSC Lagos Camp, Iyana Ipaja.

The contest featured ten finalists who presented their business concepts to a panel of judges. After rigorous evaluation on creativity, feasibility, and potential impact, four participants stood out. The top award of ₦800,000 went to Adebayo Aliu (LA/25B/0392) for his innovative fashion accessories project. Grace Adeoye (LA/25B/4426) followed with ₦700,000 for her African heritage-inspired textile venture, while Ume Chika (LA/25B/2516) earned ₦600,000 for a startup producing eco-friendly cleaning products. Atiladeoluwa Taiwo (LA/25B/2809) received ₦200,000 for her digital platform offering medical and physiotherapy products.

Commending the winners, Mr. Matthew Philip, a Business Development Service Provider from the Enterprise Development Center of Pan-Atlantic University, applauded their ingenuity. He also encouraged other corps members to “develop solutions that address societal needs while creating employment.”

Beyond the pitch competition, the SAED (Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development) inter-platoon contest showcased diverse talents in fashion design, shoemaking, beadmaking, and makeup artistry. Platoon 2 won the fashion design category, with Platoons 3 and 9 coming second and third. Shoemaking was dominated by Platoon 9, followed by Platoons 8 and 7. Beadmaking saw Platoon 8 claim first, ahead of Platoons 2 and 10, while makeup artistry also went to Platoon 8, with Platoons 2 and 10 trailing.

Speaking at the close of the SAED in-camp training, NYSC Lagos State Coordinator, Mrs. Christiana Salmwang, urged participants to sustain the entrepreneurial journey beyond camp. She stressed that skill acquisition is “a critical step toward self-reliance, job creation, and long-term financial independence.”