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.

The post Mary Ojulari Foundation awards N50m grants to eight young entrepreneurs in vanguard fellowship cohort 2 first appeared on The Times of Abuja.

Out of the 50 qualified applicants that attended a rigorous two-week Ignite bootcamp, the judges’ panel selected 21 successful entrepreneurs.

Eighteen females and three males were listed as beneficiaries for the empowerment.

The grant was revealed on Tuesday during the foundation’s first vanguard fellowship awards and networking cocktail party, hosted in Lagos.

The beneficiaries are Jidechukwu Nwabueze (Jelapetra Farms Limited), Apelehin Oluwatoyin (Inspire Agro Centre), Centre),Olaleye Rofiat Olayinka (Eco Heroes), Hyacinth Orji (QuickWaka), Adetutu Olatunji (Two Event and Catering Services), Temitayo Oluyege (May Coutures), Oyebukola Oyeyemi (Oyecube Farms), Nkechi Gift Uzordima (Mush & Green), Olatunji Oluwafemi (Efem Studios), Chimdiebube Orji (Springsentia), Opeyemi Kehinde (Supplya), Gracious Obiyan (Ventus TechHub), UmmulKhayr Adeleke-Lawal (Ummi’s Nature), and Asogba Sunday (Sunny Gee Shoe & Leather Work).

Others are Anne Ogunyomi (LavenderCare), Temitope Kareem (HubPharm Africa), Imam Aisha Omolola (Tripple A Foods & Spices Mix Enterprises), Amaku Nancy Chioma (Chef Nahnah Foods & Confectionery Limited), Oluwabukola Shittu (SHEILA SHITTU), and Anna Odogwu (Smartan House & Non-Profit).

Mary Ojulari, the founder, said the decision to invest in the 21 young entrepreneurs from the inaugural edition of the Vanguard Fellowship is in line with the organisation’s mission to drive grassroots development by creating opportunities for individuals and communities to thrive through innovation, collaboration, and empowerment.

Ojulari said she was inspired to give back through the foundation, having been privileged to sponsor 25 remarkable children through primary, secondary, and university.

She noted that her experience relating to young people across the country had given her firsthand knowledge of what they require to be successful.

She revealed that the grant fund was donated by some well-meaning corporate organisations and individuals who shared in her vision to make an impact and touch lives positively, while appreciating the donors.

She stated that the beneficiaries were taken through 10 days of rigorous and transformational training, from the entrepreneurial mindset, business models, compliance, branding, strategies, and finance management to sales, risk management, leadership, and pitch-readiness.

She added that the first cohort of the vanguard fellows were exposed to the right mentorship, education, and funding at the bootcamp.

“We mentor young people and women and provide them business advice and funding. Today, we are giving 21 entrepreneurs $5,000 as a grant to pursue their venture,” Ojulari said.

“To arrive at the selected 21 entrepreneurs, we set up an Ignite Bootcamp after calling for applications.

“A total of 500 people applied, with 50 successful entrepreneurs placed in a bootcamp for two weeks.

“We brought in mentors and industry experts to train them in basic things such as how to run an organization. I am so proud of what we have achieved with the bootcamp.

“We could not have done it without the support of some individuals and partnership with organisations like SMEDAN.”

The keynote speaker, Cosmas Maduka, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Coscharis Group, urged the beneficiaries to believe in the power of their dreams and pursue their vision with courage to become successful entrepreneurs.

Using his grass-to-grace story, Maduka advised them to remain focused and shun all forms of distractions that would make them lose sight of their vision.

“There are many of you who are first in class, but they are not first in real life. You need to approach life with a different mental attitude,” he said.

“Nothing happened in you outside of your belief system. You need to learn to take action rather than professing by mouth alone.”

The post Mary Ojulari Foundation empowers 21 young entrepreneurs with $105,000 grant first appeared on The Times of Abuja.