Education
Stanbic IBTC Builds Ultra-Modern Lavatory for Lagos Primary School
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
It was celebration galore for teachers and pupils of Abaranje Primary School, located in the Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State recently during the commissioning of an ultra-modern lavatory donated to the school by Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc, a member of Standard Bank Group.
The teachers and pupils could not hide their joy when the lender handed over to them the block of 12 modern toilets; 10 for the use of children and two for their teachers’ use, with a septic tank, borehole and overhead water tank added to the facility to make life more comfortable for them.
Speaking during the hand-over ceremony at the school premises, Angela Omo-Dare, Head, Legal Services of Stanbic IBTC, said that the donation was in line with the company’s Corporate Social Initiatives.
Giving a background to the project, Angela stated that the Legal Services Department of Stanbic IBTC decided to undertake a CSI initiative that would benefit a public primary school and also address a health challenge.
Angela said: “Some members of the team were charged with finding a suitable project. When they returned, they spoke of a school where 800 children were sharing two pit latrines. The team was unanimous in its belief that this project was the most deserving of all the interventionist measures we considered. The team was determined that the children of Abaranje Primary School II, should have access to modern toilets.”
She stated that the CSI project was funded by staff of the Legal Services Department of Stanbic IBTC, with contributions from their friends and family members. She added that Stanbic IBTC matched the funds raised by the Legal Services Department, which enabled the completion of the project.
Urging other corporate organisations to emulate Stanbic IBTC’s initiative, Angela stated: “We are grateful that we have been given the opportunity to contribute towards the comfort and health of young Nigerians. We received much joy from the evolution of this project and a sense of pride from its completion. It emphasizes Stanbic IBTC’s core value of Teamwork.”
In her welcome remarks, Mrs Oluwabunmi Morenikeji Oteju, a Director in the State Universal Basic Education Board of Lagos State, thanked Stanbic IBTC for donating the toilet facilities and for initiating similar CSI initiatives across primary schools in Lagos State.
She said: “I want to say a very big thank you for building this befitting structure for the children because they are the future leaders. I am also aware that you have several projects relating to provision of benches and tables for children in our primary schools, building/ renovating of libraries and so much more.
“There are over 1,016 primary schools in Lagos and the government alone cannot cater to all their needs. A lot of stakeholders have to come in to support and Stanbic IBTC is part of the organisations offering support. Projects like these make the learning environment more conducive and the students can learn better under such conditions.”
She further pledged that the facilities provided by Stanbic IBTC would be put to effective use, assuring that the infrastructure would be properly maintained.
Mrs Elizabeth Ogunmola Adebola, the Head Teacher, Abaranje Primary School II, expressed gratitude to the management of Stanbic IBTC. She disclosed that the school had been sharing a block of two toilets with another school when its pit toilet got destroyed three years ago.
She said: “We thank the Legal Department of Stanbic IBTC Holdings for bringing this project to this school. In fact, we were at a point where we didn’t know what to do any longer. When members of the Legal Services Department of Stanbic IBTC came, we were very happy when they said that they wanted to build a block of toilets for us. We are thankful for this beautiful toilet facility that has been provided for our pupils so that they can have a taste of good living.”
Stanbic IBTC is a Nigerian company which had its roots in Investment Banking & Trust Company PLC, formed on February 2, 1989 with Atedo Peterside as the first Chief Executive. The company has since evolved into a full-service financial institution with 9 subsidiaries all headed by Nigerians.
Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc has an estimated staff strength of approximately 5,000, of which 99.9 percent of whom are Nigerians. Additionally, eight of Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc’s ten-member board are Nigerians
By Adedapo Adesanya
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has released the results of the 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for school candidates, with 61.54 per cent of candidates obtaining credits in at least five subjects, including English Language and Mathematics.
The Head of WAEC’s Nigeria National Office, Mr Amos Dangut, announced the results at a press briefing in Lagos on Wednesday.
Mr Dangut said 1,200,514 candidates met the benchmark for admission to higher institutions, out of the 1,950,726 candidates who sat the examination nationwide, held between April 24 and June 19.
He said 102,708 examiners were engaged in the marking exercise held at 88 marking venues across the country between 2 July and 20 July.
“Today, I am happy to inform you that all the processes leading to the release of results have been completed. It is now my pleasure to announce the release of the results of candidates who sat the WASSCE for School Candidates, 2026 in Nigeria,” he said, directing candidates to the agency’s portal to access their results.
“UPDATE: 2026 WASSCE (SC) results have been released. Generate your PIN at waec.org and check your results now on waecdirect.org,” the examination body said, noting that candidates must obtain their Serial Number and PIN before they can check their results.
To generate the required credentials, candidates are expected to visit WAEC’s official website and select the “Serial Number and PIN” option at the top of the page.
They are then required to select the appropriate examination year and diet, enter their examination number and National Identification Number (NIN), and ensure that the NIN provided is the same one used during registration for the examination.
Candidates must also provide their email address and phone number to receive a One-Time Password (OTP).
After entering the OTP, candidates can recover their Serial Number and PIN, which they can subsequently use to check their results through WAEC Direct.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
Over 200 senior students of Cleggs Girls High School, Surulere, Lagos, were on July 23, 2026, engaged in practical knowledge about the risks associated with smoking, vaping, and shisha.
This engagement was made possible through a collaboration between Breathe Life Foundation and Teach Nigeria Fellow.
Participants were students aged 15–19 years. They were also informed about the misconception that shisha is a safer alternative to cigarettes or other substances.
Through an engaging and interactive discussion, students explored the influence of peer pressure and learned practical strategies for making healthier, more informed lifestyle choices.
They also gained a better understanding of common environmental triggers of asthma and other respiratory conditions, including cigarette smoke, generator fumes, bush burning, mosquito coil smoke, candles, charcoal, and firewood.
The session highlighted an important reality: young people may not always recognise how seemingly routine lifestyle choices and environmental exposures can gradually affect their respiratory health, quality of life, and long-term wellbeing.
For Breathe Life Foundation, this reinforces the importance of shifting the conversation from treatment to prevention through awareness and education.
By equipping young people with the knowledge to identify risks and make healthier choices early, the foundation is helping to build a generation that is more conscious of – and better prepared to protect – its respiratory health.
The organisation said it is dedicated to advancing respiratory health, an often-neglected public health priority. Healthy lungs are essential to life, yet respiratory diseases remain among the world’s leading causes of death and disability, even though many are preventable and treatable.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
As part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) schemes, the Obajana Plant of Dangote Cement Plc has distributed some educational materials to some pupils in Kogi State.
The items shared to the beneficiaries included school bags, exercise books, writing materials, water bottles, and other essential learning aids aimed at enhancing the learning experience of the pupils and preparing them for the next academic session.
The General Manager for the Social Performance Department of Dangote Cement at Obajana Plant, Mr Ademola Adeyemi, said the materials were donated days after Dangote Cement distributed similar education materials to pupils in public schools in its catchment communities of Oyo, Iwaa, Obajana and Apata; and commissioned a multi-million-naira hospital in Obajana, which added to the growing list of social investments that includes an earlier hospital project in Iwaa and Oyo Communities.
He noted that, over the years, the company has invested billions of naira in a wide range of social programmes for host communities, including empowerment programmes, road construction, and potable water projects, and it remains resolute in its commitment to sustaining and expanding its interventions.
He noted that the company’s corporate social responsibility programmes are aligned with government development priorities and are implemented through sustained, mutually beneficial partnerships.
“The intervention was informed by findings from a needs assessment conducted by Dangote Cement. During the assessment, it was observed that several pupils attended school without school bags, while others carried their books by hand. It was also discovered that many students lacked essential learning materials such as exercise books, pens, pencils, and other basic learning materials,” the cement firm said.
The Head Teacher of UBE LGEA School, St. Luke Model II, Adankolo, Lokoja Local Government Area, Mr Abubakar Sanni, expressed profound appreciation to the management of Dangote Cement for the gesture.
The Head Teacher expressed gratitude to the Group President of the conglomerate, Aliko Dangote, for extending the company’s educational support programme beyond its host and impacted communities to schools located at the state headquarters.
The beneficiaries, school management, parents, and community stakeholders expressed gratitude to Dangote Cement for the timely intervention and prayed for the continued growth and success of the company in its efforts to improve lives and support sustainable community development.
