Sterling Bank, through its women focused initiative, OneWoman, convened a powerful gathering of women entrepreneurs, development finance institutions, ecosystem leaders, and business stakeholders at the Funding Her Future Breakfast Dialogue in Lagos.

The session brought together voices from across sectors for a focused and necessary conversation on how to unlock more inclusive and effective financing pathways for women led businesses in Nigeria.

At its core, the dialogue was not just about access to capital. It was about building the right systems around women entrepreneurs. Conversations explored how financing, business readiness, ecosystem support, and institutional partnerships must come together to drive long term growth and resilience.

Speaking at the event, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Sterling Bank, Abubakar Suleiman, noted that the gathering was designed to move beyond intention and into action.

“Today is about going further. It is about turning shared belief into shared action,” he said.

In his welcome remarks, delivered on his behalf by the Chief Growth Officer, Edward Ogunmekan, Suleiman described the dialogue as a meeting point of finance, enterprise, inclusion, and sustainable economic growth.

From L-R: Akporee Idenedo, Divisional Head, Commercial Banking, Sterling Bank; Ezinne Nwokafor, Head, OneWoman Initiative, Sterling Bank; Thelma Luke Nwoye, Group Head, Business Finance, Sterling Bank; ‘Solape Akinpelu, CEO/Founder , HerVest; Edward Ogunmekan, Chief Growth Officer, Sterling Bank at the OneWoman Gender Lens Breakfast Dialogue held at The Wheatbaker Hotel, Ikoyi recently.

“We are honoured to host such a distinguished gathering of partners, investors, women entrepreneurs, and business leaders, all brought together by one important question. How do we expand access to meaningful finance for women-led businesses in a way that is scalable, sustainable, and commercially sound?”

He explained that the conversation reflects a long- standing conviction at Sterling that real prosperity is built by backing people, ideas, and sectors with strong potential. This belief, he noted, is what gave rise to the OneWoman initiative.

According to him, OneWoman was created to support women through three key pillars which are capital, capacity, and community.

He added that while access to finance is critical, it is only one part of the equation.

“Women-led businesses need the right support systems, the right networks, and the right ecosystem to grow with confidence and scale with resilience,” he said.

The event also featured two panel sessions with representatives from funding institutions, women focused organisations, entrepreneurs, and ecosystem partners. These conversations provided practical insights into financing opportunities available to women, while also examining the broader support systems required for sustainable growth.

Also speaking at the event, Ezinne Nwokafor, Head of the OneWoman Initiative, highlighted the urgency of addressing the financing gap facing women in Nigeria.

She noted that a significant majority of Nigerian women remain excluded from formal credit, with only a small percentage able to access structured financing. Despite improvements in financial inclusion, women continue to face systemic barriers that limit their ability to secure funding.

Nwokafor pointed out that women account for a substantial share of micro, small, and medium enterprises and contribute meaningfully to the economy, yet face a financing gap estimated at 42 billion dollars (USD) annually according to the International Finance Corporation.

She also referenced data showing that more than half of women led businesses identify access to finance as a major constraint, while rejection rates for loan applications remain significantly higher for women than for men.

According to her, these challenges are often linked to structural issues such as gaps in asset ownership, social norms, and limited access to financial data and visibility.

Despite these barriers, she emphasised that the opportunity is significant.

“Sterling’s OneWoman initiative is positioned to bridge this gap by combining financial solutions, mentorship, capacity building, and community support for women across different stages of their journey,” she said.

She added that in 2025 alone, the initiative gave out N43.9 billion loans to 2,450 female entrepreneurs, trained 6,000 of them, served about 380,000 women across three sectors of career women, women in business and freshers and their vision 2030 is to give out N500 billion loans to one million women across their three sectors.

Also speaking, Akporee Idenedo, Divisional Head of Commercial Banking, reaffirmed the bank’s commitment to addressing the concerns raised during the dialogue. He stressed that building skills and strengthening capacity will remain essential to creating a sustainable ecosystem for women entrepreneurs.

The Funding Her Future Breakfast Dialogue forms part of Sterling Bank’s broader effort to deepen its support for women through targeted financing, enterprise development, and community driven growth.

Through OneWoman, the bank continues to build platforms and solutions that empower women to grow sustainable businesses, create jobs, and contribute more meaningfully to economic progress.

Prominent opposition leaders including Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, and Rabiu Kwankwaso have joined a mass protest tagged #OccupyINEC in Abuja.

The demonstration, led by members of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), targeted the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over its recent decisions regarding the party’s internal leadership.

The protest, tagged #OccupyINEC, drew former presidential candidates and prominent politicians, including Rotimi Amaechi, Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Rabiu Kwankwaso, Rauf Aregbesola, Aminu Tambuwal, and Dino Melaye, to Maitama Roundabout. Among others, hundreds of Kwankwasiyya members also participated.

The demonstration saw participants singing Nigeria’s former national anthem, “Arise, O Compatriots!”, despite the fact that it was replaced on May 29, 2024, by President Bola Tinubu with the country’s 1960 independence anthem, “Nigeria, We Hail Thee.”

The ADC further confirmed that the act was done “in an act of defiance.”

Several demonstrators also held placards supporting Senator David Mark, including ones that read, “In David Mark’s NWC we trust.”

Addressing the protest, former presidential candidate Peter Obi spoke on behalf of ADC members and other opposition leaders, urging Nigerians to defend the country’s democracy.

He said on X: “We, members and leaders of the ADC, and other well-meaning Nigerians, lovers of democracy, are saying that our democracy must not be killed.

“We say NO to a one-party system, and for that, today we’re calling out Nigerians who believe in unity, peace, and security of our country to join us as we defend democracy in our land.”

The protest follows INEC’s recent decision to no longer accept correspondence from either faction of the ADC led by Senator David Mark or Nafiu Bala, after a Court of Appeal judgment on the party’s leadership dispute. ADC and other opposition groups described the move as a restriction on party autonomy and an interference with internal party affairs.

National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement, Yunusa Tanko, had earlier told The PUNCH the demonstration aimed to mobilise Nigerians in defence of democracy.

“This commission is now becoming the arbiter, judge, accuser and defender at the same time. Our major issue is the manner in which INEC has been going about creating disaffection in the opposition.

“The people are really angry and plan to show this anger by coming out. So, we’ll expect them to come out en masse for a peaceful rally. Then we’ll just demonstrate and protest,” he said.

The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Delta State branch, has officially debunked the cancer claims made by relationship influencer Blessing Okoro, popularly known as Blessing CEO.

In a statement on Tuesday, the association revealed that the document is an altered version of an original medical report belonging to a different patient diagnosed with breast cancer.

The statement, jointly signed by NMA Delta State Chairman, Dr. Israel Adaigho, and Secretary, Dr. Usamah Hannah, was sighted by The Nation on Tuesday.

According to the NMA, the viral report was purportedly issued by Xinus Medical Diagnostics and signed by consultant pathologist Dr. O.A. Odigwe.

However, Dr. Odigwe, who is the proprietor of the diagnostic centre, clarified that his facility never issued any report to Blessing Okoro.

The association explained that Xinus Medical Diagnostics is located in Asaba, Delta State not Enugu State as claimed in the circulating document.

The centre was contacted in May 2025 by a doctor from a private hospital in Asaba to conduct a confirmatory histology test for a patient identified as Mbara Deborah, who had a suspected case of breast cancer.

The test confirmed breast cancer, and the original result was issued to the referring doctor on May 9, 2025.

The NMA stated that the document currently being paraded online by the law firm Allen Juris Law is the original report bearing the name Mbara Deborah.

The version linked to Blessing CEO appears to be a doctored copy of this same report.

The statement read in part: “Our attention has been drawn to an online histology report purportedly issued to one Blessing Okoro, aka Blessing CEO, by Xinus Medical Diagnostics allegedly located in Enugu State. The said histology report was also alleged to have been signed by Dr. O.A. Odigwe, a consultant pathologist.

“The proprietor of Xinus Medical Diagnostics, Dr. O.A. Odigwe, who is also a member of the Nigerian Medical Association, Delta State chapter, has reached us and offered the following clarification: that Xinus Medical Diagnostics is located in Asaba, Delta State and did not at any time issue any report to Blessing Okoro.

“The centre was contacted in May 2025 by a doctor from a private hospital in Asaba to do a confirmatory test on a possible case of breast cancer for a patient, Mbara Deborah. The test was done and the result issued to the referring doctor as a case of breast cancer on May 9, 2025.

“A copy of that result is the one currently being circulated online by the law firm, Allen Juris Law, with the name Mbara Deborah as the patient. That result from the law firm is the original version issued to the patient through her hospital.”

The NMA said the clarification became necessary because of the way the altered report was allegedly being used to solicit public sympathy and financial assistance.

It urged the public to be cautious and warned against actions that could tarnish the integrity of medical professionals.

The association also called on relevant security agencies to take appropriate steps to protect unsuspecting members of the public.

“The integrity of our association and its members is very paramount and should not therefore be taken for granted.

“We call on the authorities responsible for maintaining law and order to do the needful and save unsuspecting members of the public from being unduly taken advantage of,” it added.

Recall that Blessing CEO recently solicited financial help from the public for the treatment of what she claimed was stage four cancer.

Following widespread backlash and allegations that her medical report had been edited, she made a U-turn, stating in an interview: “I don’t have stage 4 cancer. That was a miscommunication.”