Zenith Bank Plc, in partnership with the Ford Foundation, has honoured 19 outstanding women across Nigeria at the maiden edition of the Woman of Power Award, recognising their resilience and impact in their communities.
The award ceremony, held on Saturday, March 28, 2026, at The Civic Centre, marked the grand finale of the bank’s month-long activities to celebrate women in March.
The event followed an earlier International Women’s Day seminar hosted at the same venue on March 9.
Themed “Celebrating Resilience, Leadership, and Generosity,” the initiative spotlighted women from Nigeria’s six geo-political zones working in trade, petty manufacturing, education, and agriculture.
Organisers said the award was designed to recognise “unsung Sheroes” – everyday women making significant contributions despite challenging economic conditions.
Speakers at the event commended Zenith Bank for its people-focused initiatives and lauded the Ford Foundation for partnering with the bank to support women facing cultural and economic barriers globally.
According to the organisers, the selection criteria for the awards included leadership, community impact, innovation, perseverance, integrity, and philanthropy.
Among the awardees were Regina Amankulor, a retired nurse empowering youths in Abia State; Mary Matanmi, Lagos State coordinator of the Nigeria Association of Hairdressers, Barbers and Cosmetologists; and Ifeanyi P. Ugwueze, a visually impaired guidance counsellor and life coach pursuing a doctorate degree.
Others recognised included Amina Musa, a trade educator in Abuja; Adenike A. Lambo, the Iyaloja of Ilorin; Sadiya Abubakar, an educator in the FCT; Erikan Idem Andrew, a Port Harcourt-based trader; Ngozi B. Nwankpa, a fashion designer in Aba; Hadiza Umar, a development specialist in Kaduna; Joy C. Ezenwa, a trader in Kano; Shola Esther Babalola, founder of the Mama Sho Honey brand; and Josephine Ugwu of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, honoured for returning large sums of money lost by passengers at Murtala Muhammed Airport.
In her keynote address, the Group Managing Director of Zenith Bank, Adaora Umeoji, represented by Executive Director Adobi Nwapa, reaffirmed the bank’s commitment to gender inclusion. She stated that the bank maintains a balanced gender structure, with women occupying key roles across management and the board.
Also speaking, the Regional Director of the Ford Foundation, Chichi Aniagolu, described the award as an eye-opener, noting that field engagements across Nigeria revealed immense and often overlooked potential among women.
Both organisations pledged to sustain and expand the initiative in the coming years. Zenith Bank also used the occasion to highlight its women-focused products and programmes, including the Z-Woman initiative, as well as its long-standing sponsorship of the Nigerian women’s basketball league, reinforcing its commitment to women’s empowerment and economic inclusion nationwide.
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