Y’ellopreneur 3.0: BOI and MTN Foundation Launch ₦1 Billion Women’s Fund

Unlike traditional loans that require heavy collateral, the Y’ellopreneur 3.0 model uses a “matching” system—where BOI’s financial support is amplified by the MTN Foundation—to provide accessible capital to women at the “base of the economic pyramid.”

1. The Y’ellopreneur 3.0 Roadmap

The programme is structured to ensure that funding is paired with the skills needed to manage it effectively.

Capacity Building: 1,000 women entrepreneurs will undergo 4–5 weeks of virtual entrepreneurial skills training (record-keeping, growth management, and digital competitiveness).
Business Pitch: Following the training, participants will present “bankable” business plans in a hybrid pitch session.
Selection: The top 200 female entrepreneurs will be selected to receive funding.
Funding Structure: Each selected business is eligible for a single-digit interest loan of up to ₦5 million.

2. Eligibility: Who Can Apply?

The 3.0 window is specifically targeted at high-potential, women-owned businesses that often fall through the cracks of formal banking.

Criteria	Requirement
Gender	Must be a female-led or female-owned business.
Registration	Must have a valid Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) certificate.
Business Age	Preference for existing businesses with at least 2 years of operations.
Sector Focus	Agriculture, Manufacturing, ICT, Services, Circular Economy (Waste Management), and Processing.
Raw Materials	High priority for businesses that source materials locally.
Commitment	Readiness to participate in the full 4-week training and mentorship cycle.

3. Key Benefits of the 3.0 Phase

Increased Funding Cap: The loan limit has been raised to ₦5 million (up from ₦2M in Phase 1 and ₦3M in Phase 2).
Equipment Focus: The fund is primarily designed as an equipment loan, allowing businesses to purchase machinery that increases productivity.
Grant Conversion: In previous phases, participants who completed their loan repayment received 25% of the total value back as a grant.
National Reach: The fund is open to entrepreneurs across all 36 states and the FCT.

4. Impact to Date (Phases 1.0 & 2.0)

The Y’ellopreneur initiative has quickly become one of Nigeria’s most effective gender-focused interventions.

Women Trained: Over 5,754 women have been capacitated with business management skills.
Capital Disbursed: Approximately ₦304 million in loans has already been facilitated for 122 female entrepreneurs.
2030 Vision: By 2030, MTN Foundation aims to reach 30,000 female entrepreneurs and support 10,000 women-led businesses with capital.

“This is a deliberate intervention targeted at women at the base of the economic pyramid who operate viable businesses but remain excluded from structured finance because traditional models don’t reflect how they actually operate.” — Dr. Olasupo Olusi, MD/CEO, Bank of Industry.