Five clients of LAPO Microfinance Bank Ltd have won the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)’s entrepreneurship awards for the year 2010.

LAPO clients, Mrs Stella Nwoke, Engr Ignatius Onyemachi Kalu, Engr Ugwu Emeka, Sylvester Irhiogbe and Mrs Gladys Chidima Jasper received the awards and cash prizes along with 28 others at a dinner jointly hosted by the CBN and Growing Business Foundation (GBF) to mark the 5th Annual Microfinance Conference/Entrepreneurship Awards in Abuja.

The CBN's Entrepreneurship Awards are designed to recognize Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) who have distinguished themselves in entrepreneurship development in Nigeria.

The awards were presented to them by Dr. Tunde Lemo, Deputy Governor, Financial Sector Surveillance on behalf of the CBN Governor, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi.

Mrs Nwoke, designer of foot wears and bags and Engr. Kalu, manufacturer of Baron Emulsion and Texture Paints emerged as First and Second Runner-Up respectively under the most innovative product category while Mrs. Jasper received 2nd Runner-Up award under employment generation category. Engr. Emeka (manufacturer of yam pounding machine) and Sylvester Irhiogbe, furniture maker, emerged First and Second Runner-Up respectively under the most marketed products category.

The CBN Entrepreneurship Award was instituted in 2006 following the launching of the Microfinance Policy, Regulatory and Supervisory Framework for Nigeria in December, 2005.