NEWS
Wema Bank Launches MOWA-SARA Accelerator Programme
…Partners with Federal Ministry of Women Affairs to empower 500,000 women.
Through its women-focused proposition, SARA by Wema, Wema Bank, Nigeria’s most innovative bank and pioneer of Africa’s first fully digital bank, ALAT, has partnered with the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs to launch MOWA x SARA Accelerator Programme, an initiative aimed at empowering 500,000 women across Nigeria with vocational and business management skills.
SARA by Wema is Wema Bank’s women-focused proposition established with the goal of promoting gender inclusion and equality by empowering women with tailored resources, opportunities and solutions essential to enable them thrive personally and professionally. Through SARA, Wema Bank continues to empower thousands of women across Nigeria with access to finance and financial support, access to market, networking opportunities, affordable to free healthcare and a host of other benefits curated specifically for women; partnering with reputable brands and institutions where ideal to proliferate impact. The newly inaugurated MOWA x SARA Accelerator Programme is one of these such partnerships which is positioned to transform the lives of women across the country for the best.
MOWA x SARA Accelerator Programme is set to run for 24 months and will cover 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. The focus will be on two areas: vocational skills and business management skills with a schedule encompassing two days of soft skills and business management skills, followed by two days of vocational training. The final day will be dedicated to an assessment and evaluation session. For vocational skills, the programme will target three main aspects which include food processing, fashion designing and hairdressing. The 5 day in-person training session will be organised into eight cohorts with the initial pilot phase starting in Anambra and spaning to Ekiti and Kano. This capacity building and women empowerment programme will equip more Nigerian women to earn revenue, become economically active, contribute to national development and will ultimately serve to further bridge the gap in gender inclusion.
Tunde Mabawonku, Wema Bank’s Executive Director of Retail and Digital, expressed confidence in the programme’s potential for empowering women to thrive. According to her, “Nigeria’s ever-evolving macroeconomic landscape calls for an acutely intentional approach to providing tailored solutions and opportunities to empower our people, especially the women. At Wema Bank, we understand this need as captured in our mission of empowering lives through innovation and we are very intentional about tailoring our empowerment efforts to the needs of our diverse customer demographics. This commitment is evident in our solutions, partnerships, products, initiatives, and propositions; one of which is SARA by Wema. Recognising the need for tailored solutions that help women thrive, we launched SARA in 2019 as a dedicated avenue for reaching out to women across Nigeria, empowering them with unique solutions tailored to their needs even beyond banking, and providing them with the support they need to maximise their potential. This is the basis of our work through SARA, and this is what has informed the launch of MOWA x SARA Accelerator Programme. Our goal is to help women navigate the challenging economic terrain by providing them with skills for self-employment, resources for productivity and support for success”.
“I encourage every woman out there who is willing to learn a skill with potential for income generation, to register for the MOWA x SARA Accelerator Programme. We also have grants reserved for this programme so it’s a total package designed to help these women become economically active. Inclusion runs deep for us so we have curated this programme such that women of various ages from any part of the country can participate and reap the benefits of this programme. To every woman out there, I also take this opportunity to invite you to join the SARA Community, our community for women who want better. There are so many opportunities rooted in the SARA and every woman can tap into this extensive range of benefits as a SARA Woman”, Mabawonku said.
The Minister for Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, added, “I believe that if we empower the women and they start making money, a lot of prevalent challenges faced by women as a result of gender inequality may be averted. This partnership is beyond the Federal Ministry of Women Affair, it extends to the Nigerian Women Affairs. Our goal is to ensure the sustainability of all women empowerment initiatives, which is why we are bringing in the private sector. On this project, Wema Bank is evidently ready to fly and we are committed to flying together to achieve our objectives”.
MOWA x SARA Accelerator Programme was launched at a Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) signing ceremony which held on Monday, September 30, 2024 at the Ministry of Women Affairs Office in Abuja.
Zamfara State Executive Governor, Dr Dauda Lawal has commended the troops for their efforts and commitment to the fight against banditry in the state.On Saturday, the Violence Crime Response Unit (VCRU) of the Zamfara Police Command successfully recovered 329 cattle and 175 sheep from bandits in the Gambanda forest in Gummi Local Government.Governor Lawal, while appreciating the troops, described the Zamfara State Police’s renewed efforts as encouraging and promising in the fight against banditry.He said, “I commend the effort of all the security operatives in Zamfara State, especially the Zamfara State Police Command, for its resilience, bravery and commitment in recovering 329 cattle, 175 sheep, weapons and ammunition from bandits.”The police engaged and overpowered the bandits in Gambanda forest in Gummi local government area, which led to the recovery.”This commendable action reflects their tireless work in the face of challenges posed by criminal elements and underscores the police’s role in protecting the livelihoods of the people of Zamfara State.”The remarkable display of bravery and the successful recovery of livestock and weapons highlight the strong leadership of the Commissioner of Police, CP Ahmed Muhammad Bello. His guidance has been instrumental in improving public safety and combating banditry.”My administration remains committed to providing support to all security agencies in their efforts to ensure safety and security for our people.”
The Zamfara State Government is pleased to announce that His Excellency, Governor Dauda Lawal, has approved the payment of allowances/stipends to National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members serving in the state. The approval reflects the administration’s unwavering commitment to the welfare and wellbeing of corps members who are contributing to the development of various sectors across Zamfara State.
The approval covers corps members from Batch A Stream I and II up to Batch C Stream I and II. Through this gesture, the government recognizes and appreciates the patriotism, dedication, and selfless service being rendered by the young graduates in education, healthcare, agriculture, and other areas critical to the growth and progress of the state.
Governor Dauda Lawal has directed the Office of the Accountant General to put in place all necessary arrangements to facilitate the implementation of the approval. The government is committed to ensuring that the process is carried out smoothly and in accordance with established procedures.
The Zamfara State Government remains grateful to the NYSC members for choosing to serve in the state and for their invaluable contributions to community development.
The administration will continue to prioritize initiatives aimed at supporting corps members and creating an enabling environment that will allow them to discharge their national responsibilities effectively.
Aviation
From Doha to the World: Qatar Airways Takes Off to Over 160 Global Destinations This Summer
• The World’s Best Airline, as voted by Skytrax in 2025 for the ninth time, is adding 26 destinations to its network
• With its return to iconic gateways in Asia and Europe and the launch of new routes in the Americas, the airline is restoring connectivity to key global markets • Qatar Airways’ award-winning travel experience includes secure and seamless transfers through its Hamad International Airport hub, and inflight connectivity with Starlink – the fastest Wi-Fi in the sky DOHA, Qatar – Qatar Airways continues to deliver on its commitment to network restoration, and is steadily expanding its reach to more than 160 gateways for the ease and convenience of international travellers. The airline is returning to 26 destinations in key global markets. The World’s Best Airline, as voted by Skytrax in 2025 for the ninth time, resumed safe and secure operations from March 2026 to over 60 destinations. It gradually began rebuilding its network to facilitate connectivity across the globe, and will now serve more than 160 destinations this summer. Qatar Airways’ award-winning passenger experience is delivered on the tenets of operational reliability and safety. The airline delivered 84.42% on-time performance in 2025, which has been recognised by Cirium – the leading aviation analytics organisation, with the prestigious Platinum Award for Operational Excellence. Travellers also benefit from seamless transfers through Qatar Airways’ hub, Hamad International Airport. A destination in its own right, Hamad International Airport is home to Qatar Duty Free’s extensive portfolio of diverse lifestyle and dining outlets for travellers from every walk of life. The travel experience is made more rewarding through the airline’s loyalty programme, Privilege Club. Members can earn and spend Avios during their journey to unlock future benefits. The airline’s onboard experience is supported by Starlink, the fastest Wi-Fi in the sky. More than 140 Qatar Airways aircraft are equipped with Starlink, making it the world’s first and largest Starlink-equipped widebody fleet. Passengers in both Premium and Economy cabins enjoy Wi-Fi speeds of up to 500 Mbps per aircraft. Qatar Airways’ Summer 2026 Global Network: Along with the previously announced Port Sudan (PZU) route to be launched on 2 July, the airline is returning to the following African destinations: • Kigali (KGL), Rwanda, with two weekly flights • Seychelles (SEZ), Seychelles, with four weekly flights • Marrakesh (RAK), Morocco, with seven weekly flights With service to Caracas (CCS) and Bogotá (BOG) starting from 22 July, its return to Philadelphia (PHL) from 1 August, Qatar Airways is reinstating its network in the Americas with four weekly flights to Boston (BOS). As the Official Airline Partner of the FIFA World Cup 2026™, Qatar Airways is increasing its service to Boston from four to seven weekly flights to support fan travel during football’s biggest tournament. Additional FIFA host cities supported by Qatar Airways’ increased flights include: • Los Angeles (LAX), USA: increased from four to seven weekly flights • Miami (MIA), USA: increased from seven to 10 weekly flights • San Francisco (SFO), USA: increased from four to seven weekly flights In Asia and Asia Pacific, the airline is returning to the following destinations: • Adelaide (ADL), Australia, with seven weekly flights • Almaty (ALA), Kazakhstan, with seven weekly flights • Auckland (AKL), New Zealand, with seven weekly flights • Baku (GYD), Azerbaijan, with seven weekly flights • Osaka (KIX), Japan, with five weekly flights • Tashkent (TAS), Uzbekistan, with four weekly flights • Tbilisi (TBS), Georgia, with seven weekly flights • Tokyo Haneda (HND), Japan, with four weekly flights (increased to seven weekly flights from 1 August) • Yerevan (EVN), Armenia, with four weekly flights Qatar Airways’ expanded service in Europe includes the following destinations: • Belgrade (BEG), Serbia, with four weekly flights • Brussels (BRU), Belgium, with seven weekly flights • Budapest (BUD), Hungary, with four weekly flights • Düsseldorf (DUS), Germany, with seven weekly flights • Helsinki (HEL), Finland, with four weekly flights (increased to seven weekly flights from 1 August) • Lisbon (LIS), Portugal, with seven weekly flights • Oslo (OSL), Norway, with seven weekly flights • Prague (PRG), Czech Republic, with seven weekly flights • Zagreb (ZAG), Croatia, with four weekly flights
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