Access Bank CEO dedicates N1 billion to building schools in Northern Nigeria

Access Bank continues to place a high premium on its commitment to the educational development of children in Nigeria. Group Managing Director, Access Bank Plc., Herbert Wigwe, recently reaffirmed the bank’s commitment by highlighting educational development as one of the
most important tools to sustaining the future of the country.

Wigwe said this while addressing attendees at the Access Bank/UNICEF Charity Shield Polo Tournament which held at the Guards Polo Club, United Kingdom.
Nigeria currently holds the unenviable position of having the highest number of out-of-school
children in the world. A problem that Wigwe said Access Bank, in collaboration with UNICEF,
aims to solve using funds raised through the high profile polo tournament.

“The number of out-of-school children in Nigeria is very worrisome, and if not tackled adequately
does not bode well for the future of Nigeria. Access Bank identified this problem over 10 years
ago and through the polo tournament has made considerable strides in improving the
educational system in Nigeria. We will not relent in our efforts to ensure that Nigerian children
are given the requisite educational foundation to succeed,” Wigwe said.

“We know the challenge before us is great, but we will surmount it through collaboration with
relevant international, government and private stakeholders. We will continue to give because
our children are our tomorrow. So far, we have been able to raise over N1 billion and every
kobo will be invested providing educational infrastructure, starting one Northern state at a time
because that is where we find the highest number of out-of-school and displaced children,” he
adds. Wigwe went further to explain that government buy-in was key to the achievement of the
financial institution’s set goals, citing and thanking the Kaduna State government for its support
in the implementation of its projects.
Access Bank is already making a telling impact through its charitable projects, recently
completing the refurbishment of a 12,000-capacity school and is set to complete another that
will cater for an additional 1,200 students at the end of July. These efforts have not gone
unnoticed, as the Kaduna State government has committed to replicating every project that the
bank will implement in the state.

This year’s Charity Polo Tournament was a huge success with several local and international
dignitaries in attendance including the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II; British High
Commissioner to Nigeria, Catriona Laing CB, among others.