HERTISAN Graduates 200 Women Artisans, Allocates ₦5m to Enterprise Awards

200 women artisans and entrepreneurs have graduated from HERTISAN Cohort 2.0, an enterprise development programme implemented by Emerging Communities to strengthen financial literacy and business management skills.

The graduation ceremony was held on Friday, October 16, 2026. The programme also allocated ₦5 million across 23 enterprise awards, providing micro-grants to selected participants to support investment in their businesses.

Participants work in trades including baking, floristry, hair styling, fashion design, furniture making, interior decoration and event decoration. The programme focuses on helping them turn their technical skills into sustainable businesses through better pricing, record-keeping, cash flow management and planning.

According to Emerging Communities, HERTISAN addresses the gap between knowing a trade and having the financial knowledge needed to run a viable enterprise. Its approach encourages participants to understand production costs, assess profitability and make informed decisions about reinvestment and growth.

Speaking at the ceremony, Dr Seyi Tytler, Executive Director of Emerging Communities, said the programme’s objectives extended beyond the number of women trained.

“It is to help more women build businesses that can grow, withstand financial shocks and create lasting economic value.”

The enterprise awards recognised outstanding participants and were designed to connect the business training with practical financial support. Recipients are expected to use the micro-grants to invest in their trades.

Fidelity Bank supported Cohort 2.0 as headline sponsor through its HerFidelity programme. Government partners included the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund and the Lagos State Residents Registration Agency.

Emerging Communities said the partnerships brought together financial-sector support and public-sector engagement to expand opportunities for women entrepreneurs. It identified financial institutions, development organisations, corporate foundations and government agencies as potential partners for further support.

The organisation said the second cohort built on the programme’s first edition, with a continuing focus on helping women artisans manage their businesses more effectively and strengthen their livelihoods.
Emerging Communities works across technology, enterprise, education and social development, developing programmes aimed at addressing barriers faced by underserved communities.