It was an opportunity for thousands of female entrepreneurs, professionals, and leaders,  gathered at the Stanbic Bloom Weekend 2025,  recently,  in Lagos, to forge connections, sharpen their business and leadership skills, and unlock new opportunities for growth and success.

 

 

The event which commenced with  a media parley,  was  followed by a robust Entrepreneurial Seminar hosted by the Enterprise Data Centre of Pan Atlantic University (PAU)..

 

 

Some of the  program modules for the well-attended SME training,  that had over 1000 participants joining both physically and online, across various business sectors, included: ‘Introduction to Entrepreneurship’, ‘Building a Scalable Business Model’, ‘Access to Finance and Investment Readiness’, and ‘Digital Marketing and Selling Skills’.

 

 

Some of the activities held on the second day of the event were: a Yoga-session, led by Morolake Yasmin Olomu; Ladies At The Table Empowerment Series (LATTES), a hybrid event hosted by Stanbic IBTC Pension Managers, featuring a keynote message by Patience Torlowei, founder of Torlowei, a Nigerian fashion house.

 

 

A carefully-selected line-up of  accomplished women leaders and creators then came together on a panel to discuss the topic: “Seasons of Growth: Navigating Purpose, Prosperity, and Personal Power at Every Stage of life”.

 

 

Another notable highlights were the Bloom Weekend Masterclasses, with  Ore Lawani, Founder Arami Essentials,  taking the stage to speak on “Building a Business in Nigeria from the Ground up”, while Aderinsola Adeyemi, “DictionwithDerin”, delivered a session on “Command the Room: Building Executive Presence Through Communication”.

 

 

The Bloom Weekend Hub, a buzzing marketplace, featured a stunning array of activities from the ‘Trade Fair’, showcasing exhibitions from female-owned business owners in Food; Feminine Care  Products, such as Makeup, Skincare, Haircare, Fashion;  and Children’s goods, among others.

 

 

Speaking at the media parley, Deputy Chief Executive, Stanbic IBTC Bank, Bunmi Dayo-Olagunju, reaffirmed the bank’s long-term commitment to gender equity,  while also expressing the bank’s readiness for continued dialogue and collaboration with the media.

 

 

Head Enterprise, Stanbic IBTC Bank, Olajumoke Bello, shared the vision behind Bloom Weekend as a celebration and platform for empowering women in business, which, she explained,  aligns with the bank’s  broader commitment to inclusive growth and economic empowerment.

 

 

“Bloom Weekend 2025 showcases our commitment to empowering women because we believe that when you give women the right tools, networks, and platforms, they don’t just bloom, they change the world around them,” she stated.