Zenith Bank and Ford Foundation have presented awards to 19 women who have shown resilience in their communities with vocation impacting lives sustainably, as part of month-long activities to commemorate International Women’s Day.
The event which was held at The Civic Centre in Lagos on March 28 was the second of such activity at the Centre, having held the International Women Day Seminar on March 9, 2026.
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, according to the bank, demonstrated extraordinary strength, leadership, and impact despite the significant challenges posed by the difficult economic situation in the country.
Speakers at the event commended 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.
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 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; and 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; and Joy C. Ezenwa (aka Mama Amala), a trader at Sabon Gari Market, Kano.
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Also honoured were Shola Esther Babalola (Mama Sho), promoter of natural honey and founder of the Mama Sho Honey brand in Lagos; and 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; among others.
The Group Managing Director of Zenith Bank, Dr. Adaora Umeoji, who was represented by Executive Director, Adobi Nwapa, lauded the awardees and reaffirmed the bank’s 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”
“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,” Umeoji added.
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.
Ford Foundation and Zenith Bank also pledged to sustain and grow the initiative in the coming years.
Zenith Bank further notified 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.
PrimeTimes News