One of the leading financial institutions in Nigeria , Union Bank recently held the first edition of its annual education fair, edu360 in Lagos, drawing stakeholders from across the education ecosystem including teachers, parents, school owners, investors, students and other key participants.
The event tagged “Investing in the Future”, took place at Harbour Point in Victoria Island and served as a platform for collaboration among the education sector stakeholders, with the goal of accelerating development and much needed investment in the sector.
Speaking at the ceremony to mark the kick-off of the 2-day event, the Chief Executive Officer of Union Bank, Emeka Emuwa reiterated the Bank’s focus on education as a key driver of national development. He said;
“Edu360 is positioned to be the leading education platform in Nigeria, facilitating collaboration among stakeholders within the sector. We firmly believe that the private sector, working closely with the government and other stakeholders, can play a critical role in fast tracking solutions to move the educational sector forward.
At Union Bank, we are committed to identifying sectors that are vital to shaping a better, sustainable future for Nigerians.”
The Bank’s Head of Commercial Banking, Adekunle Sonola and other members of the Board of Directors were also in attendance along with Nigeria’s first female Minister of Industry, Chief (Dr.) Mrs. Nike Akande; the Minister of Education, represented by the Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe and the Governor of Lagos state represented by his Special Adviser on Education, Mr. Obafela Bank-Olemoh.
While delivering the keynote address, Dr. Modupe Olateju-Adefeso, Managing Director of The Education Partnership (TEP) Centre spoke extensively on the linkages between and education and national development, drawing examples from the health sector.
Over 200 teachers from government and private owned schools benefited from free training sessions as part of Union Bank’s drive to upskill the workforce of the important sector. The teachers also received free teaching aids to support their teaching efforts.
There were also digital training sessions for parents and children courtesy Google in addition to Coding and Robotics classes. The fair also featured private workshops and seminars to address sensitive issues concerning raising well-adjusted children in today’s world.
Speakers at the panel discussions included Olympic gold medallist, Enefiok Udo-Obong; award winning actress, Bikiya Graham Douglas; Special needs advocate, Angela Emuwa; Consultant psychiatrist, Dr. Yewande Oshodi and popular Nollywood actress and Producer, Kemi ‘Lala’ Akindoju
Over 70 exhibitors and partners including Google, Lego, Sage, Nestle, Simpli Foods, as well as leading schools in and around Lagos participated in the 2-day exhibition to showcase their goods and services.
Union Bank remains committed to supporting Nigeria’s growth by identifying and investing in sectors that are vital to shaping a better, more sustainable future for generations to come.