Union Bank Partners LEAP Capacity Building

Union Bank of Nigeria Plc’s community investment focus on talent development, agriculture and financial empowerment has led to the bank’s partnership with LEAP Africa in implementing the 2015/2016 Social Innovators Programme (SIP).

The Fellowship programme, which commenced with a week-long workshop last week, had 20 young Nigerian ‘change agents’ from different parts of the country including Bauchi, Delta, Lagos, Osun, Plateau, Yobe, and the FCT at the Nigerian Breweries Star Academy in Iganmu, Lagos.

According to a statement, through sponsorship from Union Bank Nigeria, the third edition of the SIP workshop aims at equipping the Fellows with the knowledge and skills needed to sustain and scale up their impact through series of intensive learning, trainings and presentations in the workshop from top professionals across different sectors in Nigeria.

According to the Programme Coordinator for the Social Innovators Programme at LEAP Africa, Asuquo Asuquo, “The SIP identifies, develops and supports young Nigerians who are addressing social challenges in their communities using creative and sustainable solutions. It gives them a platform to significantly touch the lives of hundreds of thousands of Nigerians through its trainings and resources in the Fellowship.”

It added: “LEAP Africa’s 2016 Social Innovators Fellows are young, dynamic and visionary Nigerians contributing to the development of their communities and country. They are initiators of community development projects with potential for their initiatives to expand its reach. Their initiatives range from empowering rural farmers, innovative use of ICT in improving youth employability to creative renewable energy products in rural areas and youth entrepreneurship development among others.

“The Social Innovators Programme is a one year fellowship which supports talented young social innovators, whose ideas and initiatives offer effective and creative solutions to challenges in local communities across Nigeria. Through training and strategic support systems, the Fellows are equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to sustain and scale up their impact.”