Standard Chartered Nigeria has officially marked the graduation of Cohort 7 of its flagship Women in Tech Incubator programme, reaffirming the bank’s commitment to empowering female entrepreneurs and driving sustainable innovation.
Speaking at the graduation ceremony, Joke Adu, Country Head of Corporate Affairs, Brand and Marketing at Standard Chartered Nigeria, highlighted the remarkable achievements of the women founders whose pioneering businesses are delivering impactful solutions for the future.
In a statement shared on her official LinkedIn page, Adu reflected on the significance of the occasion, noting that the celebration went beyond the formal graduation to honour the entrepreneurs themselves. “We celebrated the graduation of Cohort 7 of the Standard Chartered Women in Tech Incubator in Nigeria and, more importantly, the remarkable women behind the businesses shaping solutions for the future,” she wrote.
Over the course of the 12-week programme, the founders challenged themselves, strengthened their business models, sharpened their strategies, built new networks and prepared their ventures for the next stage of growth.
The 11 businesses represented in the cohort spanned diverse sectors, including adaptive technology for people living with disabilities, healthcare, logistics, education, procurement and resourcing.
Adu emphasised that this range of innovation demonstrated the breadth of what becomes possible when entrepreneurs receive the right support, opportunity and ecosystem to build and scale.
She invited the public to join in celebrating the 2026 grant winners: Fara Popoola of Proc360 by Checkit, Haastrup Adejoke of Kids That Code NG, Toyosi Badejo-Okusanya of Adaptive Atelier, Jennifer Esiaba of Mariam Grey Rx, and Christine Imoukhuede of Ahava Plan.
Adu underscored the broader purpose of the initiative, stating that economic inclusion serves as a catalyst for sustainable growth. “What makes this programme particularly meaningful is in how it equips women with the knowledge, networks, mentorship, access, confidence and funding they need to build sustainable businesses, create jobs and solve real problems in their communities,” she said.
The programme continues through Standard Chartered’s partnership with Village Capital and the Enterprise Development Centre of Pan-Atlantic University. Adu reaffirmed the bank’s commitment to creating pathways that enable entrepreneurs to thrive.
She also expressed appreciation to the guest speakers who shared their insights and inspiration with the founders, including Fasuyi Oluwarotimi, Oreoluwa Somolu Lesi — who had spoken at the launch of the Standard Chartered Women in Tech programme in Nigeria in 2019 — Olapeju Nwanganga and Sarah Andino.
READ ALSO: INFOBIP APPOINTS MIRTA PAĐEN LEE AS NEW VP OF PEOPLE TO DRIVE AI-FIRST TRANSFORMATION
Addressing the Cohort 7 founders directly, Adu offered her congratulations and framed the graduation as a milestone rather than an endpoint. “Graduation is not the destination, but a milestone in what I know will be an exciting journey of growth, impact and many more wins,” she wrote. “It is an honour to be part of your success story, and I am excited about what the future holds for each one of you.”
Through the incubator initiative, Standard Chartered Nigeria continues to foster economic growth and bridge the gender gap in tech by equipping female-led enterprises with the training, mentorship, and resources needed to scale efficiently.
