Apply: Everything You Need to Know About Y’ellopreneur 2026 Launch
In a country where entrepreneurship has become both an economic necessity and a powerful engine for growth, access to funding and capacity‑building continues to pose a significant challenge for many small businesses. Responding to this gap, the MTN Foundation launched Y’ellopreneur, its women empowerment initiative, now in its third phase.
Y’ellopreneur 3.0 represents a bold expansion of the programme, designed to equip female entrepreneurs with the skills, capital, and mentorship required to build and scale sustainable businesses.
Delivered in partnership with the Bank of Industry (BOI), this phase introduces a ₦1 billion matching fund to significantly expand access to finance and deepen the programme’s national impact. The third edition which was launched at the MTN Rooftop in Ikoyi on March 17, 2026, brought together key stakeholders across business, government, and development sectors.
Since inception, Y’ellopreneur has trained over 5,700 entrepreneurs and disbursed more than ₦301 million in equipment loans, directly empowering over 120 women-led businesses.
Building on this momentum, Y’ellopreneur 3.0 will deepen its reach by delivering capacity-building training for 1,000 entrepreneurs, alongside structured access to funding for 200 businesses, with financing of up to ₦5 million each.
Speaking at the event, the First Lady of Lagos State, Dr Mrs. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, represented by Mrs Oyinlola Agoro, Wife of Lagos Head of Service, highlighted the broader social impact of the initiative. She said: ‘’When women are equipped with the right skills, financing and networks, the ripple effect is felt across families, communities and the wider economy.” She commended the MTN Foundation and partners for their commitment to women’s development.
The Chairman of the MTN Foundation, Dr. Mosun Belo-Olusoga, positioned the new phase of the programme as a deliberate shift towards scale and measurable impact, explaining that “While we have already trained over 5,700 women and supported over 120 recipients with more than $4 million in equipment financing, we recognise that this is no longer enough – the #1 billion fund is about enabling women to transition from small-scale operations into industrial-level enterprises.”
According to the Executive Director of MTN Foundation, Odunayo Sanya, the intervention was framed within a broader economic vision, noting that: “Y’ellopreneur 3.0 is designed to move beyond training by combining access to capital, enterprise development and mentorship, ensuring that women are not just starting businesses, but building resilient and scalable ventures.”
Providing further insight into the structure of the programme, the Bank of Industry, represented by Executive Director Oluwatoyin Ahmed, said that “the initiative will deliver structured training for 1,000 women, while 200 recipients will access loans of up to N5 million, targeting high-impact sectors such as agro-processing, manufacturing, renewable energy and digital services.”
Beyond funding, the initiative integrates mentorship, training, business advisory, and enterprise development support to ensure that recipients are not only funded but equipped to thrive in an increasingly competitive, digital-driven economy.
With over 40 million MSMEs contributing nearly 50% to Nigeria’s GDP, initiatives like Y’ellopreneur play a critical role in unlocking growth, driving job creation, and strengthening economic resilience. Y’ellopreneur 3.0 directly addresses these gaps by providing:
● Capacity-building programmes tailored to modern business needs
● Access to structured funding opportunities
● Mentorship from industry experts
● Market access and visibility support
Entrepreneurs, ecosystem partners, and stakeholders are encouraged to engage with the Y’ellopreneur 3.0 programme, whether by applying, partnering, or amplifying the initiative to expand opportunities for women-led businesses across Nigeria..
