Union Bank Celebrates IWD, Unveils Alpher Mentorship Programme

L-R; Head, Corporate Communications, Ogochukwu Ekezie-Ekaidem; Chief Credit Officer, Olajumoke Odulaja; Actor/Producer, Kemi Akindoju, and Head, Retail Bank and Digital, Lola Cardoso at Union Bank’s IWD celebration which held recently in Lagos.

Union Bank recently marked International Women’s Day, reaffirming its commitment to   women empowerment with the launch of the Alpher  Mentorship Programme. 


The  Mentorship  Programme aligns  firmly  with  the   global IWD  2020  theme  Each for Equal, a call for individuals to join the push for  gender parity across the world. 

The Mentorship scheme will provide a platform for young women to be mentored for a year by successful career women within Union Bank. Speaking concerning the IWD celebrations  and the launch of the Alpher Mentorship Programme, the Head of Retail Banking and Digital, Lola Cardoso said: “As we join the world to celebrate International Women’s Day, we are especially proud to unveil the Alpher Mentorship Programme, an initiative which will provide   young women with the support they require to thrive. 

Through our Alpher proposition, we will continue to support and enable success for women of all backgrounds.” A key part of the event line up was the % one-woman show  Naked,  by  the award-winning actor, Kemi ‘Lala’ Akindoju. The play shines the spotlight on the highs, lows, achievements and failures that women are faced with as they strive to forge ahead in life. The annual IWD celebrations at Union Bank also coincide with the anniversary of its Women Empowerment Hub (Wehub)  -   the Bank’s initiative established   in 2016 as aplatform to motivate, connect and provide support to its women. 

At the IWD Celebrations last   year, the Bank awarded 40 scholarships to women entrepreneurs to build their capacity through the  Enterprise & Leadership Program (ELP)organised by China Europe   International Business School   (CEIBS) in partnership  with Leading Ladies Africa. 

Union Bank remains committed to women empowerment. Last year, the Bank established an innovation hub for women from low-income communities in partnership with MamaMoniEmpowerment Foundation. The first set of 60 women recently graduated from the scheme,empowered with life skills to establish and run their own businesses. 

The Bank also  recently launched  Alpher,  its   unique   proposition established to   ‘enablesuccess’  and empower women across all segments of   the Nigerian society through capacity building  opportunities, networking platforms, scholarships and  tailored  financial services for women