PremiumTrust Bank, recently partnered with the Hallelujah Challenge Corporate Social Responsibility team to reward 13 entrepreneurs and small business owners with a total of N50 million in business grants.
The grant award ceremony, which took place at the Hallelujah Challenge Center in Lagos, marked a defining moment in the Bank’s ongoing mission to improve lives and strengthen the economic foundations of communities across Nigeria.
The initiative, which is more than a financial gesture, is a statement of belief that small businesses are the engine room of the Nigerian economy, and that investing in the people who run them is investing in the future of the nation at large.
The partnership between PremiumTrust Bank and the Hallelujah Challenge aligns with the bank’s mission to enrich lives and strengthen communities through targeted, practical initiatives. Recognized globally as a forum where faith and community intersect, the Hallelujah Challenge has become an agent of social change, facilitating payment of school fees, hospital bills, and supporting humanitarian programs in previous editions. For PremiumTrust Bank, aligning with this platform was a strategic decision.
Commenting on the business grant initiative, Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer of PremiumTrust Bank, Emmanuel Efe Emefienim, CON, FCIB, noted that PremiumTrust Bank is very intentional about strategic partnerships and has previously participated in collaborative activities with the Hallelujah Challenge.
“We believe that it is a platform where lives are impacted and dreams are birthed. As a Bank, we felt it was compelling to associate with the initiative in partnership with Hallelujah Challenge,” he said.
Dr Emefienim also stated that in addition to rewarding the winners of the business grant, PremiumTrust Bank went a step further by ensuring that the 13 beneficiaries received structured business training designed to equip them with the tools and insights needed to scale their enterprises sustainably.
“Apart from the business grants given to the winners, we have also trained them adequately to give them a sense of how to deploy their resources in upscaling their businesses. This will also help them to be more focused and more intentional whilst we support them all the way,” he said.
Also speaking at the event, Convener and Founder of the Hallelujah Challenge Pastor Nathaniel Bassey, expressed deep appreciation for the Bank’s involvement, noting that the partnership elevates the NGO’s vision to new heights.
He explained that it has always been the goal of the Hallelujah Challenge to go beyond singing and praising God, to genuinely touch lives and create positive impacts in the real world. He acknowledged PremiumTrust Bank’s full support in bringing that goal to life, stating that with this partnership, more lives will be touched and more communities will be positively impacted.
The 13 beneficiaries were selected through a rigorous and unbiased process, following an online business pitch that attracted entries from millions of Nigerians. The final selection was made without bias or prejudice, ensuring equal opportunity for all participants.
Inya Michael Irem, a poultry farmer, emerged as the overall winner and received a grant of N5,000,000. The first runners-up, Samuel Sunday Oton, Yaya Olayinka Precious, Mirriam Bwalya, and Lois Mazi, each received N2,500,000. The remaining eight beneficiaries, Nomuoja Edesiri, Omolola Subair, Samson Aderibigbe Adewale, Numa Satu Jakitay, Favour Christopher Uchechi, Adeboye Oluwapelumi Adepeju, Gbenga Mike Olaosebikan, and Ilesanmi Oluwafunke Deborah, each received N1,000,000.
The winners expressed deep gratitude to PremiumTrust Bank, with many noting that the grants would serve as a turning point, not just for their businesses, but for their individual communities.
PremiumTrust Bank is a leading Nigerian financial institution dedicated to delivering exceptional banking services while making a positive, measurable difference in the communities it serves. Its CSR efforts span healthcare, education, and community development, grounded in the Bank’s core values of empathy, inclusivity, and national progress. Most recently, the Bank carried out a comprehensive healthcare intervention at Massey Street Children’s Hospital in Lagos, reinforcing its commitment to impactful community-centered action.
