By Jemimah Wellington, JKNewsMedia Reporter
FINANCIAL INCLUSION and youth empowerment have taken centre stage as Fidelity Bank Plc awards nine National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members with N500,000 business grants each.
This initiative is noted as part of the bank’s commitment to fostering a savings culture and supporting young entrepreneurs.
The grants were disbursed under the Get Alert in Millions Season Six (GAIM 6) promo, a customer reward scheme offering cash prizes worth N159 million.
Running from November 2024 to August 2025, GAIM 6 targets diverse customer segments, including NYSC members, students, and general customers.
Mr. Osita Ede, Divisional Head of Product Development at Fidelity Bank, highlighted the expanded scope of GAIM 6, designed to enhance financial accessibility and inclusivity.
“When we launched GAIM 6 in November 2024, we committed to making it bigger and more inclusive.
We increased the total prize money to N159 million and introduced more draws beyond the usual weekly and monthly ones,” Ede stated.
He further explained that specific draws have been introduced for women, students, youth corps members, and traders, ensuring that these customer categories stand a chance to win millions of naira in the upcoming monthly and grand draws, set to conclude on 20 August 2025.
Following a random electronic draw, nine NYSC members from different Fidelity Bank branches across Nigeria were announced as the latest beneficiaries of the business grant:
Oluwatosin Emmanuel Olowolayemo – Uyo 2 Branch
Ekpeno Aniekan George – Uyo 2 Branch
Derryk Chidubem Okafor – Trans-Ekulu Branch
Aliyu Idris Adamu – Tudun-Wada Kaduna Branch
Bomane-Aziba Koromo – Nanka Close, Wuse Branch
Asabe Grace Adamu – University of Maiduguri Branch
David Agbai Agwu – Oshogbo Branch
Abdullahi Opeyemi Olajuwon – Airport Road, Lagos Branch
Eghosa George Orhue – Ado Ekiti Branch
Winners Express Gratitude
Chidubem Okafor, one of the grant recipients, described his initial skepticism about the initiative.
“At first, I thought it was a scam when they introduced it at our orientation camp, but today, I am truly honoured to receive this support from Fidelity Bank. This grant will go a long way in helping me achieve my entrepreneurial dreams,” he said.
David Agwu also expressed his surprise at winning.
“When I received the call, I thought it was a prank. I never applied for anything, so it was hard to believe. But when they sent me proof, I realised it was real. I am truly grateful for this opportunity. My plan is to invest the money in vocational training and digital skills development, particularly in fashion and painting, to establish a sustainable business,” Agwu explained.
In addition to the N500,000 business grants, the winners will benefit from free business advisory and training sessions at the newly launched Fidelity SME Hub, located at 22, Lanre Awolokun Street, Gbagada Phase 2, Lagos.
The SME Hub aims to provide mentorship, training, and financial guidance to small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs.
