Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria Limited, in partnership with Village Capital and Enterprise Development Centre, has announced the top 10 finalists progressing into Cohort 6 of its Futuremakers Women in Technology Incubator programme in Nigeria.
The incubator aims to support and promote the economic and social development of women in Nigeria through innovation or technology-led entrepreneurship.
The shortlisted candidates are Lilian Dike (Spice Social Ltd), Eunice Olopade (Testbloq), Chinwendu Nweke (Bridge Merchant Enterprise), Linda Ekewogu (Tradetracka), Olapeju Nwanganga (Plotous Page limited), Kemi Olakunle (HealthVest), Blessing Aniefiok (Dynalimb Technologies), Esther Eruchie (FriendnPal), Sarah Andino (Talktu), Omobosola Karimat (Hafrikplay), Omolara Olarerin (Pocketfood), and Benice Jehwe (Mimshack Anointed Int. Ltd).
The finalists will undergo a 12-week executive bootcamp, where they will receive expert-led entrepreneurial training, business mentorship, and investor pitch opportunities. Five winners will be chosen and each will receive up to $10,000 in equity-free grants to scale their solutions.
Head Corporate Affairs, Brand and Marketing, Nigeria, Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria Limited, Joke Adu, said, “We are pleased to continue empowering female entrepreneurs in Nigeria through the Futuremakers Women in tech Incubator… The support the beneficiaries get will go a long way in ensuring the sustainability of their businesses while creating employment for more women and youths in the country.”
The Futuremakers Women in Tech Incubator has been running in Nigeria since 2019 and has supported 25 winners with over $250,000 in seed funding. The program aims to support over 360 women entrepreneurs globally over the next three years, providing over 32 catalytic grants totaling nearly $1.9m.
The program has rolled out in other markets, including Bahrain, Zambia, Kenya, and the UAE. The supported ventures span a wide range of sectors, including agriculture, fashion, renewable energy, health, education, and sustainability.
The top five winners in Nigeria will be announced in October 2025. The Futuremakers program builds on Standard Chartered’s track record of increasing women’s access to entrepreneurial finance, employability, and supporting adolescent girls and women through financing and capacity building.
The bank first launched the programme to support women in technology in 2014 at the City College of New York, USA. Nigeria was the 2nd market to launch the program in Africa and partners with the Enterprise Development Centre of the Pan-Atlantic University as its implementation partners.
