WISCAR Graduates 11, Strengthens Push for Structured Female Leadership

Funmi Ogundare

Eleven mentees graduated over the weekend at the WIN-with WISCAR mentoring programme, aimed at building leadership capacity among women and expanding their professional network.

Speaking with journalists at the graduation ceremony of the WIN 3 cohort five mentees in Lagos, versatile business leader and founder of Women in Successful Careers (WISCAR), Mrs Amina Oyagbola, expressed satisfaction with the growing impact of the organisation’s mentorship programme and its transformative value.

She noted that WISCAR’s continuous improvement model has ensured stronger outcomes in each successive cohort. According to her, feedback from beneficiaries remains the most credible measure of the programme’s success.

“I think we improve with every single cohort. We get better because we have a model of continuous improvement,” she said.

Oyagbola explained that the initiative was deliberately designed not only to build leadership capacity among women but also to expand their professional networks and access to opportunities.

“We are designing a programme that will not just build capacity and capability for women in leadership to advance in their careers in an accelerated fashion, but also provide a platform to expand and enhance their networks,” she stated.

She expressed excitement about the WISCAR team and advisory board for sustaining the programme’s quality, adding that the organisation intentionally deepens the mentorship experience through activities such as speed mentoring, structured networking, and cross-generational conversations.

She noted that discussions at the event, particularly on reverse mentoring, offered valuable insights into the evolving world of work and the mindset of different generations.

The founder explained that the idea for WISCAR was inspired by her participation in the Africa Leadership Initiative, West Africa (ALIWA), where she was challenged to move from personal success to societal significance through a venture that would positively impact others.

Oyagbola noted that although she had informally mentored many women in the past, she identified a gap in structured mentorship and set out to build a clear, values-driven framework that busy professional women could commit to.

Restating key achievements, she said that WISCAR remains focused on scaling its programmes to reach more women through its WIN1, WIN2 and WIN3 streams, as well as newer specialist initiatives.

She cited the Women-in-Law mentorship programme, focused on advancing gender justice and increasing women’s representation across the legal ecosystem, as one of the organisation’s recent expansions. The programme completed its first batch last year and is expected to graduate its second batch this year.

Looking ahead, Oyagbola disclosed that “WISCAR is preparing a series of activities for International Women’s Day and its annual conference, where the theme and distinguished WISCAR awardee for the year will be announced”.

The Executive Director of Operations at Stanbic IBTC Bank, Funke Amobi, encouraged the mentees to transition from ambition to structured execution, stressing that sustained impact in leadership requires discipline, accountability and intentional growth. She described the event as “a movement from intention to execution, from aspiration to structure and clarity, from potential to disciplined leadership”.

Amobi emphasised that the initiative is not merely an event but an enduring relationship designed to grow and sustain women in leadership positions.

According to her, the programme demonstrates the organisation’s firm belief that women can be groomed to lead and remain effective in leadership roles.

She commended the board, governance teams, mentors and institutional partners for their commitment to building  a long-term architecture of women in leadership, adding that rigorous screening and structured mentoring remain central to the programme’s success.

The Stanbic IBTC executive also commended mentors and facilitators for investing beyond routine engagement.

“You challenge the status quo, push participants out of their comfort zones and ask the difficult questions that drive growth,” she said.

She also acknowledged sponsors and partners for strengthening the shared vision of building a better nation, while lauding the alumni community for sustaining the mentoring ecosystem beyond the formal programme.

Addressing the graduating cohort,  Amobi reiterated their diversity across finance, law, technology, media, entrepreneurship and Marketing Communications. She said the common thread among them was a deliberate commitment to personal and professional growth.

“Leadership is rarely transformed by inspiration alone; it is about taking the course and being accountable for what you have learned,” she told the graduates, noting that they have already translated ambition into clear five-year road maps.