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 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.
