Mary Ojulari Foundation awards N50m grants to eight young entrepreneurs in vanguard fellowship cohort 2
The Mary Ojulari Foundation has awarded N50 million in catalytic grants to eight outstanding young entrepreneurs who emerged from the second edition of its Vanguard Fellowship Cohort.
The grant announcement capped the foundation’s intensive two-week ignite bootcamp, which ended with an awards and networking cocktail on Friday, November 21, at the J. Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture and History, Onikan, Lagos.
The recipients of the cohort two fellowship grants are Safaya Ikechuckwu, Oluwakemi Olaniyan, Adaeze Ruth Akpagbula, Francis Obanijesu, Olatunde Omotayo Olufunke, Victoria Ogwanighie, Ubok Ameh, and Adebayo Aishat Olajumoke.
Each awardee will receive N6.25 million in seed funding to scale their ventures.
Mary Ojulari, founder and president of the Foundation, reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to empowering young Nigerians with the skills, networks, and capital required to build resilient businesses.
“Our work is about unlocking potential because potential is Nigeria’s greatest asset. These entrepreneurs are solving real community problems, creating jobs, and refusing to be limited by circumstance,” Ojulari said.
“The vanguard fellowship exists to honour that courage while equipping them with the skills and support that can multiply their impact.”
She explained that the Ignite Bootcamp—delivered in partnership with the Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) and a broad network of industry leaders—exposed fellows to strategic mentorship, real-world business insights, and practical case studies across sectors.
She added that the Foundation’s support extends beyond the bootcamp, ensuring fellows continue to access markets, mentors, and opportunities.
This year, 50 promising entrepreneurs from agro-processing, manufacturing, technology, health, fashion, and the creative industries participated in the cohort, admitted after a rigorous selection process focused on innovation, community impact, and sustainability.
Ojulari also expressed gratitude to the Foundation’s partners and mentors “who generously share their expertise and resources to shape the next generation of Nigerian business leaders.”
Yewande Zaccheaus, chairman and founder of Eventful Nigeria Ltd., stressed the importance of investing in skills, knowledge, capital, digital literacy, and supportive policies to strengthen Nigeria’s entrepreneurship ecosystem.
“Let us design a future where young people are not just job seekers, but job creators. To the Foundation, I say your work is powerful, your impact is undeniable—even just two years on—and your vision is rewriting destinies,” she said. She urged sponsors to continue supporting initiatives that nurture young founders.
The Foundation’s investment builds on the success of the inaugural edition held earlier in 2025, where 50 entrepreneurs participated in the bootcamp and 25 received a total of $125,000 in catalytic grants.
With the latest N50 million commitments, the Foundation continues to strengthen grassroots enterprise development across Lagos and beyond.
