While the Nigerian startup ecosystem often focuses on Series A rounds and Silicon Valley exits, a different kind of “pitch deck” session is taking place in NYSC orientation camps.
Unity Bank Plc has announced the winners of the 27th edition of its Corpreneurship Challenge, awarding millions in equity-free grants to fresh graduates from OAU, UNN, and The Polytechnic, Ibadan.
The initiative, which functions as a nationwide incubator for the “Batch C, Stream 2” cohort, has now produced 638 young entrepreneurs since its inception, with a cumulative investment exceeding ₦300 million.
The ‘Demo Day’ Winners
This edition saw a diverse range of hardware and service-based startups emerging from the 10-state pitch competition. Unlike pure software plays, these “Corpreneurs” are tackling the real-sector economy:
Lagos State Grand Prize (₦800,000): Awolumate Fawaz Babatunde, a Civil Engineering graduate (The Polytechnic, Ibadan), for a high-scale fashion design enterprise.
Rivers State Top Pitch: Abdur-Razaq Sayfullah Adebola (OAU graduate), for an innovative footwear manufacturing business.
Kwara State Winner: Olatunde Esther Funmilayo (OOU graduate), for a chemical production and deodorant service startup.
The SME Pipeline: Bridging the Capital Gap
For most fresh graduates, the “Valley of Death” happens immediately after the NYSC year when ideas meet a lack of capital. Unity Bank’s strategy is to intervene at this “Pre-Seed” stage.
“Many young Nigerians possess viable business ideas but lack the initial capital. The Corpreneurship Challenge was designed to bridge that gap by providing financial backing and mentorship at a critical stage,” says Mrs. Adenike Abimbola, Divisional Head, Retail, SME & E-Business at Unity Bank.
The Corpreneurship Impact (2019–2026)
| Metric | Achievement to Date |
| Total Beneficiaries | 638 Entrepreneurs |
| Total Grants Disbursed | ₦300 Million+ |
| Geographic Reach | 10+ States Per Edition |
| Top Sector Trends | Fashion, Agribusiness, Footwear, Services |
| Lagos Grand Prize | ₦800,000 |
Why Banks like Unity Bank are Betting on SAED
By partnering with the NYSC Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) program, Unity Bank is essentially “de-risking” future SME loans.
By training and funding graduates during their service year, the bank is building a loyal base of business banking customers who are already “structure-ready” before they even hit the open market.
In a climate where white-collar jobs are shrinking, this “incubation-in-a-camp” model is becoming a vital part of Nigeria’s broader SME and E-Business infrastructure.
