By Uzo Ugwunze
The Rotary Club of Onitsha Metropolis, District 9142, in partnership with Ultimate Destiny Uplifters Foundation (UDUF Africa), has awarded N5 million in business grants to five emerging entrepreneurs at the 2026 Under-45 CEOs Business and Leadership Summit.
The grants were presented during the Pitch and Win Contest at the sixth edition of the summit held on October 10, 2026, at the Youth Development Centre, 3-3, Federal Housing Estate, Onitsha, under the theme “Rethinking Entrepreneurship.”
The summit brought together entrepreneurs, business leaders, professionals and innovators to discuss enterprise development, leadership, job creation and sustainable economic growth. The contest was designed to encourage young business owners to turn everyday challenges into viable, job-creating enterprises.
Initially, the prize was N1.5 million, with N1 million for the winner and N500,000 for the runner-up. However, the competition took a new turn when the Managing Director/CEO of Janksmay Global Services Limited, Mr. Ifeanyi Onwuachu, impressed by the quality and scalability of the pitches, donated an additional N3.5 million.
His intervention raised the total grant pool to N5 million and made it possible for all five finalists to go home with N1 million each, instead of just two beneficiaries.
Speaking at the event, President of the Rotary Club of Onitsha Metropolis and Founder of UDUF Africa, Rtn. Ezuma Smart Chinedu, described the grants as an investment in businesses with potential to create jobs and solve societal problems. He congratulated the beneficiaries and urged them to deploy the funds strictly for business growth.
According to him, the grant should be seen as both an opportunity and a responsibility. “The true success of the grant will not be measured only by the money received, but by the businesses built, the jobs created and the lasting impact achieved,” he said, challenging them to be disciplined, accountable and focused.
He commended UDUF Africa under its Continental President, Uplifter Christopher Uchenna, for providing a platform for youth empowerment and leadership, noting that the partnership demonstrates what organisations with shared vision can achieve. He thanked Mr. Onwuachu for his generosity, saying it showed confidence in the ability of young Nigerians to build sustainable enterprises.
One of the judges, Rtn. Ugoo Abba of the Department of Public Administration, Nnamdi Azikiwe University and Club Trainer of the Rotary Club of Onitsha Metropolis, also commended the finalists for their presentations and urged them to use the capital strategically to improve operations and achieve growth.
The club said it would sustain the partnership with UDUF Africa through entrepreneurship, mentorship and business development programmes, and recommended a follow-up mechanism to monitor the progress of the beneficiaries in terms of fund utilisation, business growth, job creation and sustainability, including linking them with experienced mentors for guidance on finance, marketing and corporate governance.
Uzo Ugwunze is of the Anambra State Ministry of Information and Value Reformation