Education
Grandmates Secondary School Student Wins 2019 NSE Essay Competition
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
A student of Grandmates Secondary School, Ago-Okota, Lagos, Miss Adeniyi Adesewa, has won the 2019 edition of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) Essay Competition.
Miss Adesewa was honoured at a ceremony held Wednesday, 4 December 2019 at the Civic Centre, Lagos and given a N500,000 scholarship fund for her university education; N500,000 worth of equity investment; and a laptop.
Her emergence as the first-place winner of the 19th edition NSE Essay Competition out of 40,966 applicants across Nigeria got Grandmates Secondary School three desktop computers and a printer.
She was called out to the podium for her prize in the presence of First Lady of Lagos State, Dr Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, who was represented by Mrs Funke Omotosho.
The Governor’s wife commended the NSE for the contribution of this initiative to the development of the country and encouraged participants in the competition to stay committed to developing their skills.
At the event, Miss Temiloluwa Oladipo and Master Adeoye Okhaioisevai both of Oritamefa Baptist Model School emerged 2nd and 3rd place respectively. Each of them was presented with a scholarship for university education, equity investment and a laptop, along with desktop computers and a printer for the school.
In addition, the top 3 winners were given the prestigious honour of a Closing Gong Ceremony at the Exchange, while 7 other finalists received laptops in recognition of their good performance.
The special guest of honour, Mr Chuka Eseka, Chief Executive Officer, Vetiva Capital Management Limited and President of the Association of Issuing Houses of Nigeria (AIHN) counselled the students on the need to develop a strong savings and investment culture.
He magnanimously awarded N250,000, N150,000 and N100,000 worth of money market investments to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners respectively on behalf of the Association of Issuing Houses of Nigeria (AIHN) and Vetiva Capital.
Chief Executive Officer of the NSE, Mr Oscar Onyema, in his speech, highlighted the critical role of the capital market in delivering sustainable socio-economic growth and development in Nigeria.
He emphasised the need for innovative solutions to leverage the capital market for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“We need to connect people with products and services that build human and physical capital, as well as bridge infrastructural gaps in Nigeria.
“We have also identified the critical role of millennials in achieving these outcomes evidenced by the overwhelming interest today’s youth have shown in this exercise.
“We were not only delighted by the thousands of entries we received this year – up over 100 percent from last year – but also impressed by the quality of progressive solutions articulated in the submissions, some of which will be presented today,” Mr Onyema added.
In her remarks, Managing Director of the Education Partnership Centre, Mrs Modupe Adefeso-Olateju, advised the students on the need to develop a range of skills to ensure a sustainable future in light of our ever evolving society. She also emphasized education, financial responsibility and integrity as important virtues to imbibe.
The NSE Essay Competition was designed to develop a culture of wealth creation amongst our youth towards Building a Financially Savvy Generation.
Over the last 19 years, the competition has successfully increased awareness and inspired active participation of the youth in Nigeria’s capital market.
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.
