Standard Chartered, EDC Graduate 11 Female Founders in Tech Skills

Emma Okonji

The Enterprise Development Centre (EDC) of Pan-Atlantic University, in partnership with the Standard Chartered Foundation and Village Capital, has graduated 11 women-led businesses at the 7th edition of the Women in Tech Incubator and Accelerator Programme.

The graduation ceremony, held in Lagos, marks seven years of empowering women-owned tech and tech-enabled businesses in Nigeria.

Speaking at the ceremony, Director, Enterprise Development Centre, Pan-Atlantic University, Dr. Nneka Okekearu, said empowering women in technology was beyond business.

“When you empower a woman, you empower a nation. Over the last seven years, we have empowered numerous women in the tech and tech-enabled space.

“Every year we see changes economically, socially, and in the tech space. This year, we introduced more specialised advisory services,” she said.

Highlighting the impact on past beneficiaries, Okekearu said: “Many have grown their revenue, pivoted their business models, and won awards. It is not just about numbers, but impact in the lives of people and the communities they serve.”

In the area of funding, she said: “We set up a board for each business to help them refine their model. When that is done, they become a magnet for funding.”

Head, Corporate Affairs, Brand and Marketing, Standard Chartered Nigeria, Mrs. Joke Adu, said the bank remained committed to women’s economic inclusion.

“Today we are celebrating Cohort 7 of the Standard Chartered Foundation Women in Tech Incubator. We started in 2019 and have supported 60 women, impacting thousands. What is integral is that these women get training and business advisory, and at the end, select winners get seed funding to scale,” she said.