The Alternative Bank (AltBank) has announced the launch of the Alternative Bank–Utiva Women in Tech Scholarship, an initiative designed to empower women entrepreneurs with digital skills and business innovation training.
The Executive Director (South) of The Alternative Bank, Mrs. Korede Ademola-Adeniyi, made the announcement during a virtual convening held to commemorate the International Day for Rural Women.
The event, themed “Rural Women and MSMEs: Driving Sustainability, Strengthening Economies, Securing Our Shared Tomorrow,” brought together thought leaders, policymakers, and development partners to celebrate, empower, and advocate for rural women across Nigeria and Africa.
The Alternative Bank is an independent financial institution licensed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to operate in the Non-Interest Banking (NIB) sector.
Ademola-Adeniyi described the scholarship as both symbolic and strategic, noting that it was part of the bank’s commitment to bridging gender and digital divides.
“Women are the heartbeat of food systems, the lifeline of families, and the silent architects of community resilience,” she said. “Empowering rural women is not just a moral imperative but smart economics — a cornerstone of sustainable national growth.”
She explained that the scholarship would equip 20 women entrepreneurs with digital and business innovation skills, with the first cohort scheduled to begin in November 2026.
“The doors of The Alternative Bank remain open — ready to partner, finance ideas, and co-create sustainable solutions that empower women and strengthen communities,” she added.
Ademola-Adeniyi said the initiative was part of the bank’s broader corporate social investment aimed at helping women scale their enterprises and participate more effectively in the digital economy.
The Chief Executive Officer of Utiva, Mr. Eyitayo Ogunmola, expressed optimism that the partnership would redefine access to digital opportunities for women.
He noted that Utiva, a one-stop platform for building and deploying world-class tech talent, is focused on equipping individuals with advanced technology skills and connecting them to global employment opportunities.
“At Utiva, we believe that when women are equipped with the right digital skills, they don’t just transform their businesses — they transform their communities,” Ogunmola said. “Our partnership with The Alternative Bank is about creating pathways for inclusion, innovation, and long-term economic empowerment for women shaping the future of enterprise in Africa.”
Gift Johnbull, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement (South-South), reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to women’s empowerment, noting that most rural women are farmers who contribute significantly to the nation’s food supply.
“Women make up nearly 70 percent of our food system in Nigeria and globally, yet they continue to face barriers such as limited access to education, finance, and productive resources,” she said. “We are working to remove these barriers and ensure equality of opportunity.”
Speaking on behalf of the UN Women Country Representative, Ms. Beatrice Eyong, the Programme Specialist at UN Women, Osalobo Osemhenjie, highlighted ongoing interventions to support women’s economic advancement and called for stronger stakeholder collaboration to close existing gender gaps.
“We must invest in rural women’s leadership, expand access to finance, and foster digital and entrepreneurial skills,” Osemhenjie said. “Only then can we unlock a future that is not only sustainable but equitable.”
A key highlight of the event was a presentation by Ms. Kemi Ayanda, Economic Development and Trade Strategist for Africa and the Middle East, who challenged participants to rethink traditional development models.
“True transformation begins not with funding but with reimagining systems that recognise resilience as an economic asset and women as critical stabilisers,” Ayanda said.
