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| The women. |
On Saturday, March 28 2026, Zenith Bank held the climax of its month-long activities to commemorate March as women’s month. The event which held at The Civic Centre, was the second of such activity at the Centre, having held the International Women Day Seminar on the 9th of March, 2026. The event was to honour and give awards to exceptional women who have shown resilience in their communities with heir vocation impacting lives sustainably.
Speakers after speakers
eulogized Zenith Bank for its people-centred activities and appreciated the
Ford Foundation for identifying the Bank as a worthy partner in its push to
support women in their peculiar cultural and economic conditions across the
world.
Themed “Celebrating
Resilience, Leadership, and Generosity” the award recognised 19 women who were
selected from the six geo-political zones in trade, petty manufacturing,
education, and agriculture. These women demonstrated extraordinary strength,
leadership, and impact despite the significant challenges posed by the
difficult economic situation in the country.
According to the organisers,
the initiative provided a platform to showcase unsung “Sheroes” — everyday
women who are making meaningful contributions in their communities and fields.
These include market women, small-scale business owners, community leaders,
educators, healthcare workers, and many others whose vital roles often go
unnoticed.
The sponsors of the event
noted that each awardee exhibited excellence in several key areas, including
leadership and initiative, community impact, innovativeness and
resourcefulness, perseverance, integrity, community trust, and philanthropy.
Among those honoured were:
- Mrs Regina Amankulor, a retired nurse empowering young people in Umuode-Nsulu
community, Isiala Ngwa North LGA, Abia State;
- Mary Matanmi,
Coordinator of the Nigeria Association of Hairdressers, Barbers and
Cosmetologists, Lagos State chapter;
- Ifeanyi P. Ugwueze, a Guidance Counsellor and Life Coach who continues to thrive
despite blindness and is currently pursuing a doctorate degree.
Others include:
- Amina Musa, a
trade educator based in Karonmajiji, AMAC, Abuja;
- Adenike A. Lambo, the Iyaloja of Ilorin;
- Sadiya Abubakar, an educator in Jibi (Deidei), Bwari Area Council, FCT;
- Erikan Idem Andrew, a market woman with significant community impact in Port
Harcourt;
- Ngozi B. Nwankpa, an Aba-based fashion designer;
- Hadiza Umar, a
Development Specialist based in Kaduna, Kaduna State;
- Joy C. Ezenwa (aka
Mama Amala), a trader at Sabon Gari Market, Kano;
- Shola Esther Babalola (Mama Sho), promoter of natural honey and founder of the Mama Sho
Honey brand in Lagos;
- Josephine Ugwu, a staff member of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria
(FAAN), honoured for her honesty in recovering and returning millions of
naira mistakenly dropped by passengers at Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos.
- And many others.
In her keynote address, the
Group Managing Director of Zenith Bank, Dame Dr. Adaora Umeoji, OON, who was
represented by Executive Director, Adobi Nwapa, praised the awardees and
reaffirmed the bank’s strong commitment to women’s empowerment. She noted that
“Zenith Bank’s commitment to gender inclusion is not a rhetoric but one of the
ethos that the bank holds very dearly”. In her words, she also said, “Zenith
Bank has a 50-50 gender ratio with women occupying strategic positions in the
bank’s management and Board up to the current Group Managing Director being the
very first female to hold that position.
The Regional Director of the
Ford Foundation, Dr Chichi Aniagolu, described the Woman of Power Award
as an eye-opener, noting that her team’s journey across the country revealed
the vast and often overlooked facets of human potential among Nigerian women.
Both the Ford Foundation and
Zenith Bank Plc have pledged to sustain and grow the initiative in the coming
years.
Zenith Bank used the forum
to notify the women of their various women-targeted products and initiatives,
including the Z-Woman initiative, and the Bank’s 19-year sole sponsorship of
the NBBF Women’s Basketball League; thus, further highlighting its position at
the forefront of women empowerment and economic inclusion across the country.
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