The MTN Y’ellopreneur Initiative seeks to contribute to the reduction of women’s unemployment and advance women’s development in “Entrepreneurship” through capacity building to enhance their entrepreneurial abilities and establish Female Entrepreneurs with equipment loan and advisory services for sustainability. This initiative targets female entrepreneurs within the small and medium enterprise (SME) segment who possess a minimum of an SSCE qualification, demonstrate a strong passion for self‑employment, and already operate established businesses.
Eligible enterprises include businesses in manufacturing, processing, agriculture, waste management, and related sectors, with a minimum operational period of two years.
Through this flagship women‑focused economic empowerment programme of the MTN Foundation, 5,339 female entrepreneurs resident across the 36 States and FCT have been trained in core entrepreneurship and business management skills, strengthening their capacity to grow profitable and sustainable enterprises. In addition, 122 recipients have received equipment loans valued at ₦304 million, enabling them to improve productivity, scale operations, and create employment within their communities.
The entrepreneurship training is delivered in partnership with the Enterprise Development Centre (EDC) of Pan‑Atlantic University, alongside MTN Foundation ecosystem partners such as the Mastercard Foundation and CISCO. Complementing this training, participants also participate in targeted masterclasses facilitated by MTN Nigeria units, including MTNN Tax, MoMo Payment Service Bank (PSB), Insurance, and Enterprise Business teams. These sessions provide practical insights into business compliance, financial management, risk management, and digital payment solutions.
The initiative is currently in its third phase. In this phase, the MTN Foundation is collaborating with the Bank of Industry Limited (BOI) to implement a Matching Fund Model of N1Bn (One Billion Naira), with each party contributing N500m (Five Hundred Million Naira).
Through the Y’ellopreneur Initiative, the MTN Foundation continues to empower women as key drivers of economic growth, strengthening livelihoods, fostering enterprise sustainability, and contributing to inclusive socio‑economic development across Nigeria.
