The bustling city of Lagos, Nigeria, played host to the second edition of the empowering initiative, Be Empowered, spearheaded by the dynamic Layal Jade Tinubu and the Noella Foundation. On a memorable Saturday in April 2025, more than one hundred and fifty eager guests gathered for a day-long summit dedicated to uplifting women-led businesses. The air buzzed with anticipation as the event drew in an impressive two thousand five hundred applications from ambitious entrepreneurs.
“Be Empowered
” aims to provide financial support and educational resources to women entrepreneurs.”
Out of this pool of talented applicants, two hundred resilient business owners emerged as finalists for the summit. Among them, five outstanding candidates were granted the opportunity to pitch their ventures before a panel of esteemed judges on a pivotal Thursday morning in April. It was a nerve-wracking yet exhilarating experience for these aspiring entrepreneurs.
“The grant recipients have shown remarkable dedication and innovation in their businesses.”
After careful deliberation and consideration, nine deserving winners were announced during the summit. The top achievers emerged from the intense pitch sessions while others were selected based on their compelling applications. Following this exciting eventful day, an additional eleven attendees received grants—an unexpected but welcomed surprise—bringing the total number of empowered recipients to twenty.
Layal Jade Tinubu, with unwavering passion and commitment, expressed her deep-seated belief in supporting and nurturing women in business during her poignant welcome address at the summit.
“These financial empowerments are designed to help women not only start but also sustain and scale their businesses,”
she emphasized.
Inspirational speakers such as Elizabeth Isiorho, Founder of BETH Model Management, and Ibiyinka Ibru, CEO of Moneystart provided invaluable insights during engaging session discussions at the summit. However,
“the fireside chat with Layal Tinubu herself delved into her personal entrepreneurial journey,””
shedding light on her transition from corporate life to entrepreneurship while balancing family commitments—a story that resonated deeply with many attendees.
As part of the enriching program agenda, past grant beneficiaries from the 2024 edition shared heartfelt testimonials about how participating in Be Empowered had transformed their businesses significantly.
“The funding coupled with intensive training equipped us with tools for growth,”
they shared appreciatively.
This year’s cohort of twenty grant recipients underwent an intensive five-week bootcamp that served as a culmination of their Be Empowered experience. This rigorous program featured expert-led sessions encompassing strategic planning techniques,
financial management best practices operational efficiency strategies,
and long-term scalability frameworks—all crucial elements for sustainable business growth.“Be Empowered sets a high standard for impactful entrepreneurship development among Nigerian women,”
noted industry experts who attended this remarkable event.
As reported by [BellaNaija](https://www.bellanaija.com/2025/05/be-empowered-by-layal-jade-tinubu/)
This article was adapted from www.bellanaija.com.
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