Wema Bank, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, has launched the MOWA-SARA Accelerator Programme, an initiative aimed at empowering 500,000 women across Nigeria with vocational and business management skills. The programme, which aligns with Wema Bank’s women-focused platform, SARA by Wema, seeks to promote gender inclusion and equip women with essential resources to thrive both personally and professionally.

SARA by Wema was created to provide tailored solutions and opportunities for women, enabling them to access finance, healthcare, markets, and networking benefits. The new MOWA x SARA Accelerator Programme extends these efforts by offering a 24-month programme that will run across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. The training will cover vocational skills in food processing, fashion designing, and hairdressing, alongside business management skills. The five-day training sessions will involve two days of soft skills, two days of vocational training, and a final day for assessment.

Wema Bank’s Executive Director of Retail and Digital, Tunde Mabawonku, expressed optimism about the impact of the programme, emphasizing the importance of empowering women to navigate Nigeria’s challenging economic environment. She encouraged women across the country to participate, highlighting that grants would also be available to support participants.

The Minister for Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, praised the initiative, noting that empowering women economically could help address gender inequality and other challenges. She stressed the importance of sustainability and the role of the private sector in achieving these goals.

The MOWA x SARA Accelerator Programme was officially launched during a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signing ceremony held on September 30, 2024, in Abuja.