Cohort VI graduates of EnterpriseNGR’s Youth of Enterprise (YOE) Internship Programme, celebrated at a virtual graduation ceremony on Thursday, 13 August 2026.
EnterpriseNGR, Nigeria’s leading advocate for the Financial and Professional Services (FPS) sector, has celebrated the graduation of 86 young Nigerian professionals from the sixth cohort of its flagship Youth of Enterprise (YOE) Internship Programme. The virtual ceremony, held on Thursday, 13 August 2026, was themed “Active Citizenship: Impact on Career and Leadership Development.”
Since its launch in 2022, the YOE programme has impacted almost 3,000 young Nigerians, equipping them with workplace readiness, professional development, mentorship and training to thrive in Nigeria’s evolving world of work.
The graduation ceremony was moderated by Anthony Bidokwu, Head, Corporate Communications and Branding, EnterpriseNGR, and featured addresses from notable speakers including Obi Ibekwe, CEO of EnterpriseNGR; Dr. Abraham Owoseni, Learning and Development Expert and Principal Consultant at Mind Mode, who delivered the keynote address; and Adedoyin Owolabi, Vice President, Human Capital at Chapel Hill Denham, who shared an employer’s perspective on the programme.
The graduation ceremony featured addresses from notable speakers including Obi Ibekwe, CEO of EnterpriseNGR; Dr. Abraham Owoseni, Learning and Development Expert and Principal Consultant at Mind Mode, who delivered the keynote address; and
Adedoyin Owolabi, Vice President, Human Capital at Chapel Hill Denham, who shared an employer’s perspective on the programme.
Speaking at the event, Obi Ibekwe, CEO, EnterpriseNGR, said: “Completing this programme is not an end; it is the beginning of a new chapter in your professional journey. Since its 2022 launch, the Youth of Enterprise Internship Programme has impacted almost 3,000 young Nigerians, helping democratise access to opportunity regardless of location, background, or personal connections.” She urged the graduates to remain lifelong learners, pursue excellence, and support others on their own growth journeys.
Delivering the keynote address, Dr. Abraham Owoseni, Learning and Development Expert and Principal Consultant at Mind Mode, challenged the graduates to embrace active citizenship as a catalyst for career success, economic growth, and communal impact: “Leadership begins with contribution, not position. The real question is this: will you simply consume the value you have received through this programme, or will you multiply it for others?”
In her remarks, Adedoyin Owolabi, Vice President, Human Capital, Chapel Hill Denham, shared her organisation’s experience as an employer partner: “We took in three interns from Cohort VI, and we went on to employ two of them permanently.” She attributed the hiring decisions to qualities the interns demonstrated, including curiosity, willingness to learn, receptiveness to feedback, and a deliberate approach to work, and encouraged the graduating cohort to look beyond simply securing employment, focusing instead on the value they can create, the problems they can solve, and the communities they can positively influence.
The event also featured testimonials from graduates, who shared how the programme transformed their confidence, workplace readiness, professional skills, and career prospects. Several participants described the experience as pivotal in helping them transition successfully into the corporate environment and secure employment.
As part of the celebration, EnterpriseNGR recognised outstanding performance within Cohort VI through awards and cash prizes, honouring its top-performing groups and graduates based on aptitude assessments, engagement levels, project contributions, and masterclass participation. Stella Nwihim, Head of Programmes, EnterpriseNGR, said: “Every member of Cohort VI is a winner and a future nation-builder.”
EnterpriseNGR used the ceremony to encourage more organisations to join the programme as employer partners. Employer partners give graduates workplace access, practical experience, feedback, and the opportunity to demonstrate their potential, while gaining access to a pool of young Nigerian talent that has been screened, trained, and assessed before placement.
The graduating interns undertook placements in reputable organisations such as Access Bank Plc, Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation, Chapel Hill Denham, Coronation Group, Coronation Merchant Bank, Coronation Securities, Custodian Investment Plc, Ecobank Nigeria, EnterpriseNGR, Fiducia Capital Limited, Providus Bank, and Trium Limited; a testament to the strong industry partnerships that continue to power the YOE Initiative.
The ceremony celebrated the achievements of Cohort VI, whose stories of growth and resilience embody the mission of EnterpriseNGR’s Youth of Enterprise initiative: to tackle youth unemployment by bridging skills gaps and preparing young Nigerians for thriving careers.
Applications and the waitlist for YOE Cohort VII will open soon. Interested graduates and prospective employer partners can learn more and join the waitlist at enterprisengr.com/yoe.
About Youth of Enterprise (YOE)
Youth of Enterprise (YOE) Internship Programme is an initiative of EnterpriseNGR that aims to address the problem of unemployment and underemployment in Nigeria. Since 2022, the organisation has empowered almost 3,000 young Nigerians nationwide with employability skills to position them for success.
About EnterpriseNGR
EnterpriseNGR is a dynamic, member-led organisation at the forefront of championing the advancement of the Nigerian Financial and Professional Services (FPS) sector. With a steadfast commitment to fostering a conducive policy environment, EnterpriseNGR advocates the growth and development of all FPS sub-sectors, including Banking, Insurance, Capital Markets, Asset Management, Pensions, Non-interest Finance, FinTech, Professional Services (Legal Services, Accounting and Management Consulting), and Sustainable Finance, to position Nigeria as Africa’s premier financial centre.