Wema Bank has announced the Top 10 nominees for its 2026 SARA Gives to Empower Her Award, a women-focused initiative recognising those empowering other women across Nigeria.

The award, an extension of its women proposition SARA by Wema, will culminate in the selection of five winners on 4 March in Lagos.

Why it matters

The announcement comes ahead of International Women’s Day (IWD) 2026, at a time when conversations around gender equality and economic inclusion remain central in Nigeria’s development agenda.

According to the bank, the award aligns with the global IWD 2026 theme, “Give to Gain,” and its local campaign theme, “When She Gains, We Grow.”

The initiative aims to spotlight women who have built a legacy of mentoring, funding, coaching or otherwise supporting other women.

Launched in 2024, the She Empowers Her Award celebrates impact-driven female leaders across sectors, from social enterprise to corporate leadership.

The Top 10 nominees

The shortlisted nominees include:

Social Entrepreneur, Bosede Nwachi

NGO Founder, Chigozie Blessing

Customer Success Leader, Ekwutosi Cynthia

Coach and Public Speaker, Franca Ozini

TEDx Speaker, Hassanat Abubakar

Mentor, Ikepo Osawaye

Marketing Professional, Jennifer Edem Ekong

World Safety Ambassador, Ambassador Mabel Abel-Onaiwu

Founder, Patrick Stephen Purple Heart Foundation for Widows, Oluwaseun Joan Stephen

Virtual Assistant Coach, Victoria Ezechukwu-Obiya

The bank said it received 2,332 nominations covering 351 women during the nomination window, which opened on 12 February and closed on 22 February 2026.

Nominees were shortlisted based on measurable impact and a “clear track record of giving to other women,” the bank said.

Selection process and transparency

Wema Bank said the final selection combines public nominations, an internal jury review and a voting process.

It added that the process is vetted by an independent audit body to ensure credibility and fairness.

Voting is now open to the public, with five winners to emerge at the awards ceremony.

What’s next

The award ceremony will hold on 4 March 2026 during Wema Bank’s International Women’s Day event in Lagos.

The event will be streamed live on YouTube from 10:00 a.m.

Five winners will receive recognition and grants under the SARA Gives to Empower Her Award & Grant initiative.

About the organiser

Founded in 1945, Wema Bank describes itself as Nigeria’s oldest indigenous bank and the pioneer of ALAT, Africa’s first fully digital bank.

Through SARA by Wema, the bank runs financial and non-financial support programmes targeted at women entrepreneurs and professionals.

Nigeria’s oldest indigenous bank, Wema Bank, has announced it will hold its 2026 International Women’s Day (IWD) Grand Event on 4 March 2026.

The event, inspired by the global IWD theme “Give To Gain”, will centre on the message: “When Women Gain, We Grow.”

The bank says the gathering will spotlight how supporting women contributes to economic and social development.

Wema Bank’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Moruf Oseni, said the institution has consistently prioritised gender inclusion.

“Wema Bank has never been one to pay lip service and when it comes to gender inclusion; we walk the talk with pride,” he said.

“A society where women are left out is one that is crippled, and as a Bank, we have made it a priority to never relent in providing tailored opportunities for women, celebrating their growth and supporting their journey, towards building a society where every woman can thrive.”

He linked the initiative to the bank’s women-focused proposition, SARA by Wema, launched in 2019.

According to him, the programme aligns with the United Nations’ fifth Sustainable Development Goal on gender equality.

“This year’s IWD theme is quite personal to us because as a Bank that continues to give to women, we have seen firsthand the unique potential that lies within women both personally and professionally,” Oseni added.

“Our goal is for every person that joins us for this grand event to be positively transformed in mindset and in action… as we collectively bridge the gap in gender equality.”

Why It Matters

Women-owned businesses account for a growing share of Nigeria’s small and medium-sized enterprises, yet access to finance and leadership opportunities remains uneven.

According to data from the World Bank, gender gaps in financial inclusion persist across sub-Saharan Africa, affecting economic growth.

What to Expect at the Event

The bank says the 2026 celebration will bring together women from diverse sectors, alongside young professionals and entrepreneurs.

Planned highlights include:

SARA Gives to Empower Her Award – grants for women who have supported other women.

He For She Award – recognising male employees who have championed women’s causes.

Wema Knight Gives Initiative – staff-led outreach programmes nationwide.

Launch of the Wema Bank Girl Child Journal, featuring insights from 80 contributors.

The event will be accessible both physically and virtually, with registration open via the bank’s website.

What’s Next?

Wema Bank says it hopes the event will encourage individuals and institutions to embed gender inclusion into daily decision-making.

Whether the initiative leads to broader structural change will depend on sustained partnerships and measurable outcomes beyond March 4.

A total of 300 women have benefited from the 2025 end-of-year support initiative organised by the InfiniteHelp Women Empowerment Centre, a non-governmental organisation focused on women’s economic empowerment.

The beneficiaries were supported at the organisation’s annual ‘Reachout 2025’ programme, held at the FourSquare Gospel Church Hall, Harmony Estate, Langbasa, Ajah, in Lagos.

Speaking at the event, the convener, Dr Debbie Uduak Ajayi, said the initiative was designed to reduce women’s vulnerability by encouraging self-reliance through vocational skills and small business development.

She said the organisation’s focus goes beyond seasonal support, stressing the importance of long-term economic independence for women.

“It is not all about the little support we are able to give, extend to you especially at this festive season but the need to encourage everyone of you as women, to rise up, start something for yourself, a vocational skills, either with this support, empowerment, to grow and become self-reliant,” she said.

Dr Ajayi added that vocational skills and small enterprises could help women earn a decent living while contributing to broader community and national development.

“Such skills would not only help place them in better position to earn decent living for themselves and their families, but would contribute to the growth and development of their communities, State and nation at large,” she said.

Why it matters

Women-focused empowerment initiatives have become increasingly important in Nigeria, where economic pressures, inflation and unemployment continue to affect low-income households.

Experts say programmes that combine skills training with financial support can help women move from subsistence living to sustainable income generation.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics, women make up a significant proportion of Nigeria’s informal workforce, often with limited access to capital and training.

A decade of impact

Dr Ajayi traced the origins of the organisation to 2015, when she said she was inspired to support widows and vulnerable women, particularly in health and economic empowerment.

“I was inspired by the Holy Spirit in year 2015, to gather widows in particular and less privileged women, take care of their needs, health in particular, support them through empowerment, encourage them to acquire vocational skills and train them to become self-reliant,” she said.

Reflecting on the organisation’s progress after ten years, she said many of the women who initially benefited had gone on to become business owners and employers.

“Today and ten years down the line, I am glad to say that it has been God all the way, as testimonies abound of great things God is doing in the lives of those women.

Greater numbers of them that we started with are now good business entrepreneurs, employers of labour and supporters to others and their families,” she said.

Industry and public reactions

The special guest at the event, Mrs Funmilayo Raji, immediate past Permanent Secretary at the Lagos State Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, praised the organisation’s consistency and impact.

She urged the convener to remain focused on the vision and encouraged beneficiaries to make responsible use of the support received.

Mrs Raji also advised the women to invest in their families and children, describing empowerment as a long-term responsibility.

Legal and civic support

Another guest and supporter of the initiative, Barrister Wale Ogude, commended the organisation for maintaining its vision over the years.

He said InfiniteHelp Women Empowerment Centre deserved recognition for its coordination and management, urging beneficiaries to remain committed and focused.

What happened at the event

Highlights of the programme included the distribution of food items, gifts and financial support to widows and indigent women to support their small businesses.

Organisers said the support was aimed at helping beneficiaries stabilise their businesses during the festive season and prepare for the year ahead.

What’s next

The organisation says it plans to expand its empowerment programmes in 2026, with a stronger focus on vocational training, mentorship and sustainable business growth.