(From L-R: Michel Deelen, Consul General, Kingdom of the Netherlands; Wole Adeniyi, Chief Executive, Stanbic IBTC Bank; Adenike Adeyemi, Executive Director, FATE Foundation, Sonia Onovughakpo Fajusigbe, Economic Policy Adviser & Business Developer Entrepreneurship, Youth Employment and Healthcare of the Consulate General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Lagos and Jurriaan Middelhoff, Ambassador for Youth, Education & Employment, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Netherlands at the partnership signing ceremony held in Lagos Nigeria).
Orange Corners Nigeria (OCN), an initiative of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, implemented by FATE Foundation, welcomed Stanbic IBTC, a leading financial services provider in Nigeria, as a private partner. This partnership marks a significant milestone in the programme’s mission to support young entrepreneurs in Nigeria with the skills, knowledge, and support they need to create sustainable economic opportunities within their communities and to build a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem in Nigeria.
OCN was launched in Nigeria in 2019 with the support of the Consulate General of the Kingdom of Netherlands in Lagos.
The model in Nigeria is a Business Incubator, an innovation fund, and a student ambassador programme. OCN’s vision is to contribute to a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem, by providing economic opportunities, skills, and the right networks for youth with innovative business ideas.
Michel Deelen, Consul General, Kingdom of the Netherlands, said while giving his welcome address, ’’Orange Corners is the expression of our belief in the youth of Nigeria. From inception the plan was to do this together with the private sector and we are very pleased to have found a partner in Stanbic IBTC”
The official partnership commemoration ceremony took place on Friday, May 16, 2025, at the Embassy of the Netherlands in Victoria Island, Lagos Nigeria.
“We’re excited to partner with Stanbic IBTC to advance Orange Corners Nigeria’s mission of fostering a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem, where young people can turn their innovative ideas into successful businesses. This partnership will enable us to provide more comprehensive support, mentorship, and opportunities for growth, ultimately driving innovation and job creation in Nigeria.” Adenike Adeyemi, Executive Director, FATE Foundation said at the ceremony.
In attendance were Michel Deelen, Consul General, Kingdom of the Netherlands; Jurriaan Middelholf, Ambassador for Youth, Education & Employment, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Netherlands, Wole Adeniyi, Chief Executive, Stanbic IBTC Bank; Adenike Adeyemi, Executive Director, FATE Foundation, Sonia Onovughakpo Fajusigbe, Economic Policy Adviser & Business Developer Entrepreneurship, Youth Employment and Healthcare of the Consulate General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Lagos Bambo Adebowale, Dean & Director, The FATE School; Tosin Leye- Odeyemi. Head Sustainability, Risk and Capital Management, Stanbic IBTC Holdings, Great Ukazim, Program Manager, Orange Corners Nigeria; and a few staff members of Stanbic IBTC and FATE Foundation.
Mr. Wole Adeniyi, Chief Executive, Stanbic IBTC Bank stated: “We are going to help catalyse more entrepreneurs and also help the youth. It goes with what we are doing with SME businesses, we are going to be able to scale more, empower them more, and also provide access to financing that will help to support the economy.”
At the ceremony, some current OCN cohort incubatees and alumni members had the opportunity to speak about their businesses, the positive impact that the OCN programme has had on them and their businesses, and the challenges that they are experiencing as aspiring entrepreneurs.
FATE Foundation is Nigeria’s foremost enterprise development organisation that seeks to harness the strong entrepreneurial culture of Nigerians by providing aspiring entrepreneurs with business incubation, growth, and accelerator support required to fully explore their innovative potential, to start, grow and scale their businesses with the mission to foster wealth creation by promoting businesses and entrepreneurial development among Nigerians.
