Standard Chartered Grants 5 Women-led Tech Start-ups $50,000

Nume Ekeghe

Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria has given out a total of $50,000 in grants to five successful recipients from its Women in Technology Cohort 4 in an initiative that aims to support and foster the growth of women-led technology businesses across Nigeria.  

The grants were presented during the graduation ceremony of the incubator program, in collaboration with the Enterprise Development Centre (EDC), which offered comprehensive courses to enhance the development of these businesses.

Speaking at the award ceremony over the weekend, Head, Brand and Marketing, Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria and West Africa, Dayo Aderugbo said: “In Nigeria, female population comprises of 49.34 per cent of the total population of Nigeria. With fewer income-generating opportunities for the population at large, this leaves nearly half of the population constituting women deprived of economic empowerment through employment, professional growth and livelihood opportunities.

“Similar to several emerging markets like Pakistan and Brazil, Nigeria is currently passing through a demographic transition, which has resulted in an increase in the working-age population i.e., youths comprising nearly half of the population, as a share of the total population.”

“For us at Standard Chartered Bank, the Women in Tech Incubator, is one of the many ways we continue to reiterate our Bank’s promise to be “Here for good.”  We are optimistic that the program will continue to help female tech-preneurs and identify, grow and bring to the market unique business ideas, while reminding them to celebrate their uniqueness as business owners thriving making a difference in Nigeria, “she added.