Funmi Ogundare
Sterling Bank has partnered with Educare to sponsor the South East Mathematics and Science Olympiad, an initiative aimed toward figuring out and nurturing distinctive younger skills whereas selling curiosity in science and arithmetic amongst college students in the area.
The initiative, which seeks to strengthen tutorial excellence and equip younger Nigerians with expertise to compete in an more and more knowledge-driven world, was formally introduced at a signing ceremony held on the financial institution’s headquarters in Marina, Lagos.
The partnership comes amid projections that Nigeria’s little one inhabitants will enhance by 8.5 per cent to roughly 130 million by 2034, in accordance to UNICEF’s 2026 report on public finance for fundamental training, citing United Nations inhabitants projections.
With the rising demand for high quality training, the initiative is predicted to present college students with alternatives to reveal their skills, sharpen their analytical and problem-solving expertise, and compete past typical classroom assessments.
Speaking on the ceremony, Sterling Bank’s Chief Growth Officer, Edward Ogunmekan, defined that the partnership mirrored the financial institution’s perception that Nigerian college students had the potential to compete globally if given the proper alternatives.
“We have seen Nigerian children go out into the world and achieve extraordinary things. That tells us that what is missing is not talent, but opportunity. A platform like the South East Olympiad provides that opportunity, and that is why we are here,” he mentioned.
Ogunmekan added that creating alternatives for younger individuals to reveal their skills was important to nurturing the following technology of innovators, professionals and leaders.
The Chief Executive Officer of Educare, Alex Onyia, described the collaboration as a chance to develop entry to initiatives that problem younger individuals intellectually and recognise tutorial excellence.
He additionally careworn the significance of personal sector participation in instructional improvement, noting that funding in the following technology was important to the nation’s future.
“If you care about educating the next generation, it means you genuinely care about the country that gives you the opportunity to do business. That is what makes this partnership with Sterling Bank particularly meaningful,” Onyia mentioned.
“The hope of our civilisation is in this coming generation, and we have to invest in them as if nothing else matters.”
Also talking, Sterling Bank’s Group Head, Education Finance, Yonodu Okeugo, mentioned the Olympiad went past competitors to figuring out establishments that have been producing distinctive skills and understanding the elements behind their success.
“The Olympiad is not just about competition. It is about inspiring excellence, identifying the schools and institutions nurturing exceptional talent, understanding what they are doing differently and finding ways to replicate those successes across Nigeria and beyond,” she mentioned.
The Olympiad , Okeugo famous, builds on Sterling Bank’s current partnership with Educare by the Sterling Online Maths quiz competitors, which has supplied college students throughout the nation with alternatives to reveal their mathematical skills and compete for recognition and prizes.
“The latest initiative expands the collaboration to include science, providing another platform for students to test their knowledge and compete with their peers.
She said the initiative aligned with its broader commitment to education through financial solutions for educational institutions and strategic interventions designed to improve learning outcomes and expand opportunities for young Nigerians.
“Education is one of the priority sectors under Sterling Bank’s HEART strategy, which focuses on Health, Education, Agriculture, Renewable Energy and Transportation.”
