Education
Financial Literacy: Stanbic IBTC, JAN Host MoneyBee Competition
A member of Standard Bank Group, Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc, has partnered with Junior Achievement of Nigeria (JAN) to host the inaugural MoneyBee competition aimed at promoting financial literacy among secondary school pupils and in commemoration of this year Children’s Day celebration.
Chief Executive of Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc, Dr Demola Sogunle, urged Nigerian students to acquire financial literacy skills as this would lead to their financial freedom early in life and equip for the future. He insisted that the imperativeness of financial literacy among students cannot be over emphasized.
Mr Sogunle urged the students to “make sure that you learn something new in financial literacy for your personal growth.”
He said, “At Stanbic IBTC we have long identified education, a key pillar of our corporate social investment, as pivotal, along with financial literacy, to economic growth and development. Thus, we are always pleased to engage our future leaders to share financial literacy nuggets with them.”
The bank executive further said to share some success nuggets that would help the students excel in life which include: acquiring good education, discipline, volunteering and continuous self-improvement.
According to him, “education is important: I know that at a young impressionable age, schooling or getting an education might seem like a difficult chore. Some people might even tell you that it is not important, believe me- It is.
“Education gives you a competitive chance in life and a good education can open you up to a life of ease. Take your education seriously and make learning a priority.
“Education should not be limited to a schooling environment. Strive to take leanings from any environment you find yourself. Nothing you learn is wasted.”
On discipline, Mr Sogunle stated that discipline means “self-control, which is a sign of inner strength and control of yourself, your actions and reactions.”
“It gives you the power to stick to your decisions and follow them through, without changing your mind. If you must do things out of habit, make sure that the habit is one that you have built deliberately, is progressive and not destructive,” he added.
He stated further that, “You should also identify good role models and learn from them. A good mentor will help you achieve your goals faster because you will learn from their previous mistakes.”
Speaking on volunteering, he advised the students to sign up and take every good opportunity to volunteer- even for free, saying volunteering/apprenticeship is a smart way to gain experience and learn life lessons.
“It opens you up to the realities of life and gives you an opportunity to build your network. Volunteering for a good cause boosts your resume and gives you confidence in what you would have achieved,” he said.
While wrapping up his talks with the students, the top and successful banker charged them to “Never Stop Moving Forward: Always seek to improve yourself.”
He stressed that, “Life is a marathon not a sprint, you cannot afford to rest on your oars at any position you find yourself. You should keep moving, remain at whatever you are doing and keep in mind that continuous improvement is a sure way to being successful in life.”
In a similar vein, the Country Head Human Capital, Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc, Ms Funke Amobi, stated that the essence of organizing the programme is to up skill students in secondary schools on financial literacy as regards information regarding the financial service institutions such as banking, pensions, insurance etc.
“We are doing this by quiz and competition, which is the way to test knowledge. This is the maiden edition and it will be an annual event,” she said.
A total number of 23 schools participated in the competition and two schools, Heritage Global Academy, Lagos and Canterbury International High School, Lagos emerged joint first place winners.
Educational Trust Account prizes worth N100,000 were given to each of the students who emerged first and second place winners, while the third place winner was given Education Trust prize worth N50,000.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The federal government has suspended the proposed review of registration fees for the 2027 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and the National Examinations Council (NECO) Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE).
The Federal Ministry of Education made the announcement on Monday in a statement signed by the Director of Press and Public Relations, Mrs Boriowo Folasade.
The ministry announced that the letter conveying the proposed fee adjustment, dated June 18, 2026, has been withdrawn to allow for a comprehensive review and broader consultations with all relevant stakeholders before a final decision is taken.
The Minister of Education, Mr Tunji Alausa, directed that the proposal be placed on hold, with the Ministry acknowledging the concerns and constructive feedback received from the public since the planned increase became known.
The Ministry said the proposed fee review was driven by rising operational costs that have accumulated over several years without a corresponding adjustment to examination registration fees.
It said the current fees have remained largely unchanged for several years despite significant increases in costs covering logistics, security, printing of examination materials, technology deployment, quality assurance and other services required to maintain the integrity of public examinations.
“The proposed review was informed by the prevailing economic realities and the rising cost of conducting credible national examinations,” the statement said.
“The current examination registration fees have remained largely unchanged for several years despite significant increases in operational costs,” the Ministry added.
The ministry said the proposed fee hike will no longer take effect as earlier planned, while acknowledging that the concerns raised by Nigerians warranted a pause in the process.
“The proposed review of examination registration fees will not take effect, as earlier communicated, pending the conclusion of the consultation process,” the statement confirmed, adding that the June 18 letter conveying the proposed adjustment has been formally withdrawn.
“This decision underscores the Ministry’s determination to ensure that policies affecting millions of Nigerian students and their families are carefully considered, socially responsive and reflect the collective interest of the nation,” it said.
The Ministry outlined a fresh stakeholder engagement process that must be concluded before any decision on examination fees is made, signalling that the review has been delayed rather than permanently shelved.
The Ministry said it will engage extensively with examination bodies, state ministries of education, school proprietors and administrators, parents’ associations, organised labour and other education stakeholders as part of the renewed consultation process.
It said the goal of the consultation is to ensure that any future decision is “fair, sustainable, transparent and responsive to prevailing realities while safeguarding access to education,” framing the suspension as a course correction rather than an outright reversal of policy intent.
“The Ministry acknowledges the concerns and constructive feedback received from the public and appreciates the keen interest shown by Nigerians in matters relating to access to quality education,” the statement read.
The Ministry assured Nigerians it would keep the public fully informed throughout the consultation process, saying the welfare of students and equitable access to quality education “remain at the heart of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the education sector.”
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The examination fees of Senior School Certificate Examinations (SSCE) conducted by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council (NECO) have been increased by the federal government by about 82 per cent to N50,000 from N27,500.
A circular signed by the Director of Senior Secondary Education in the Federal Ministry of Education, Mr Adeniji Ibrahim, disclosed that the new fees would become effective in 2027.
In the notice, it was disclosed that the government approved the upward review of the fees following a request by WAEC.
It was further disclosed that the decision to jack up the fees was reached after a March 31, 2026, meeting between the Minister of Education and examination bodies, where the need to review examination fees was discussed.
“You may recall that at a meeting of examination bodies held with the Minister of Education on March 31, 2026, where the need for upward review of examination fees was discussed, the Minister directed that WAEC and NECO should adopt a uniform fee for the conduct of WAEC and NECO SSCE,” the statement read.
“Consequently, I am directed to convey the Minister of Education’s approval of the sum of N50,000 only, as the new examination fee per candidate, with effect from NECO SSCE (Internal), 2027,” it added.
**Modibbo Adama University Emerges Grand Prize Winner, Secures N50m
A leading integrated independent exploration and production company with full-cycle upstream delivery capability, FIRST Exploration & Petroleum Development Company (FIRST E&P), has reaffirmed its commitment to developing Nigeria’s next generation of engineers.
This commitment was highlighted during the grand finale of the maiden edition of the Nigerian Engineering Olympiad (NEO), held on Tuesday, June 30, 2026, at Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.
The event recognised outstanding student innovators whose engineering solutions addressed real-world challenges, marking the culmination of months of regional qualifiers, prototype development, mentorship and boot camp sessions that equipped students from universities and polytechnics across Nigeria with practical skills in engineering, innovation and entrepreneurship.
The Olympiad attracted 984 participants across 375 teams from more than 80 tertiary institutions representing all six geopolitical zones of the country.
Delivering the sponsor’s address, the General Manager, Engineering and Capital Projects, FIRST E&P, John Alamu, emphasised that the competition reflects the company’s commitment to equipping students with the practical knowledge and innovative mindset required to excel in engineering and strengthen Nigeria’s future workforce.
Alamu, noting that initiatives such as the Engineering Olympiad provide a structured platform for young talent to transform innovative ideas into practical solutions that contribute to the country’s technological and industrial advancement, stated that, “FIRST E&P believes that developing STEM capacity is an investment in this country’s ability to solve its own problems. The Nigerian Engineering Olympiad has taken young engineers and taught them to think beyond the drawing board, and FIRST E&P is proud to have been a funding partner for this initiative. I commend NCDMB for championing the Olympiad and Enactus Nigeria for successfully delivering a platform that is helping shape the next generation of Nigerian engineers and innovators.”
In his address, the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, represented by the Acting Director, Planning, Research and Statistics, Silas Ajimijaye, expressed appreciation to FIRST E&P for their unwavering support in successfully delivering the Olympiad.
Ajimijaye added that the initiative aligns with the Federal Government’s Nigeria First Policy, which aims to build indigenous engineering capacity and equip young Nigerians with the knowledge and skills needed to drive industrial competitiveness, technological advancement, and sustainable national development.
The competition concluded in the awarding of prizes, with Team Mavericks of the Modibbo Adama University of Technology, Adamawa State, winning the grand prize of N50 million and a Centre of Excellence building for its Faculty of Engineering.
The team’s winning innovation, Ubuntu Sapphire, is a community-powered rapid alert system that uses affordable devices to instantly notify neighbouring households and emergency responders during emergencies, offering a practical solution aimed at strengthening community security and emergency response infrastructure.
Speaking after receiving the award, Team Lead, Dr David Patrick, expressed gratitude to the organisers and sponsors for providing a platform that fostered innovation and practical learning.
The University of Ibadan emerged as the first runner-up, receiving N30 million and N75 million worth of engineering equipment for its Faculty of Engineering. The University of Nigeria, Nsukka, secured third place and was awarded N20 million and N50 million worth of engineering equipment. The University of Jos finished fourth, receiving N10 million.
