Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Fidelity Bank Plc, Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe (middle), receiving a special recognition award for her leadership and Fidelity Bank’s contribution to Nigeria’s beauty enterprise ecosystem during a dinner commemorating the Beauty in the Motherland 2026 exhibition in Lagos recently. She is flanked by the event’s co-founders, Beatrice Obinna Eneh (left) and Linda Edozien (right).
Susan Abayomi
Fidelity Bank Plc has reiterated its commitment to the growth of Nigeria’s beauty industry and women-owned businesses, following its participation in the Beauty in the Motherland 2026 commemorative dinner and awards ceremony in Lagos.
The event, held on October 6, 2026, at the Eko Convention Centre, Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, brought together entrepreneurs, investors, industry leaders and creative professionals to celebrate innovation, enterprise and achievements across the beauty and lifestyle sector.
The dinner was part of the three-day Beauty in the Motherland 2026 programme, which attracted more than 3,000 attendees and over 300 exhibitors from various segments, including skincare, haircare, fragrance, cosmetics and wellness.
Hosted by media personalities Nancy Isime and Enioluwa Adeoluwa, the ceremony featured a musical performance by Nigerian singer Yemi Alade.
A key highlight was the presentation of a special recognition award to Fidelity Bank’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Dr Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe, in acknowledgement of her leadership and the bank’s contribution to the development of the beauty industry.
Speaking at the event, Onyeali-Ikpe said the bank’s sponsorship of the programme for the third consecutive year reflected its confidence in the sector’s growth potential and the entrepreneurs driving its expansion.
She described the African beauty industry as a vibrant and innovative sector with increasing global relevance, noting that Fidelity Bank remained committed to helping entrepreneurs access financing, acquire business knowledge, explore new markets and build sustainable enterprises.
The recognition also highlighted the bank’s continued engagement with an industry supported significantly by women entrepreneurs and young business owners.
Beyond sponsoring the event, Fidelity Bank provided participating businesses with account-opening assistance, payment solutions and advisory services. The bank also served as the event’s exclusive point-of-sale (POS) provider, enabling vendors to process payments and encouraging the adoption of digital payment systems.
Its offerings at the event included Fidelity POS Instant Settlement, PayGate Plus and SME accounts. Bank representatives also engaged exhibitors on financial management, business expansion and access to appropriate banking services.
Beauty in the Motherland 2026 featured exhibitions, product displays, competitions, networking sessions and business discussions, providing entrepreneurs with opportunities to showcase their products, connect with customers and establish relationships with distributors, investors and potential business partners.
The event’s organisers, Beatrice Obinna Eneh and Linda Edozien, said the initiative was established to celebrate and promote the human and natural resources underpinning the African beauty industry. They added that its long-term objectives included strengthening industry structures, empowering entrepreneurs and expanding access to markets.
Fidelity Bank supports small and medium-sized enterprises through initiatives such as the Fidelity SME Hub, Fidelity Quarterly Business Forum, SME masterclasses, HerFidelity and FundHer. These programmes offer various forms of support, including financing, business advisory services, capacity development, digital solutions and market access opportunities.
The awards ceremony underscored the contributions of entrepreneurs, professionals and institutions to the development of Nigeria’s beauty value chain.
Through its continued partnership with Beauty in the Motherland, Fidelity Bank is seeking to expand its support for businesses in the beauty sector, particularly women-owned enterprises, while promoting financial inclusion and sustainable business growth.
