By 
As Skye Bank takes financial literacy campaign to 30m schools
By Nsikan Ikpe
The Group Managing Director of Skye Bank Plc, Mr. Tokunbo Abiru has counselled students to imbibe the savings habit very early in life saying that that was the best way for them to have a guaranteed and successful future life.
He was speaking as part of activities to mark the 2017 World Savings Day, even as he unveiled the Bank’s plans to take its financial literacy campaign to 30 schools in the country to mark this year’s World Savings Day.
Abiru made this known while addressing pupils of Seed of Life Schools, Lebanon, Ibadan.
“As part of planned activities to commemorate this year’s World Savings Day, we will be taking financial literacy campaign to 30 schools across the six geo-political zones in the country.’As one of the largest retail banks in the country, we believe that one of the best approaches to driving financial inclusion, is by engaging children and youths on the rudiments of savings in line with the Central Bank of Nigeria’s financial literacy initiative and encouraging them to start imbibing savings culture at an early age.’
Mr Abiru also affirmed the bank’s commitment to financial inclusion, affirming that it was unwavering and that Skye Bank ‘will continue to be in the vanguard of ensuring that we reach out to both the unbanked and the under-banked in our communities, helping them see the importance of savings and its long-term benefits.’
Bolanle Adesanoye, Senior Manager and Head, Sustainability and Consumer Protection, who represented the GMD/CEO Mr. Abiru, emphasized the need to imbibe a saving culture at a young age, adding that “through such exercise, they would secure their future.
The World Savings Day is an annual event instituted to increase public awareness on the importance of savings for both modern economies and individuals alike all around the world. It is a day observed in many countries around the world every October 31st to promote the importance of savings and restore people’s confidence in banks.
It is also aimed at increasing the level of financial literacy while boosting the financial inclusion drive of the CBN in terms of the number of people that have banking relationship with financial institutions; thereby ultimately culminating in a stable and sound financial eco-system and provider of a positive economic environment.
It would be recalled that earlier in the year, Skye Bank had organised an essay competition to mark the Children’s Day which was equally aimed at driving financial inclusion by encouraging them to imbibe the savings culture at an early age.
Adesanoye also affirmed that Skye Bank recognizes that financial literacy is the core platform for financial inclusion and the basis for equitable and sustainable socio-economic development, saying that with the bank’s extensive branch network and various alternate channels spread across the country, it is committed to assisting the Nigerian child and the young adult build a prosperous future by extending banking services to the under-banked and un-banked communities and individuals across the country.
Earlier in his address, the Principal of the Seed of Life School, Mr. Awoyemi Olakunle Samuel, commended the bank for its public spirited disposition to capacity building, education and youth development and specifically lauded the management of the bank for its support to the school and pupils.
“The relationship between the school and Skye Bank is getting bigger everyday,” he noted.
Responding, Adesanoye stated that the bank intends to even further improve on the state of relations with the school through encouraging the children to begin a savings culture by opening Skye Rainbow accounts”.
Skye Bank is one of Nigeria’s leading retail banks with wide-ranging electronic solutions promoting consumer lifestyle and the e-commerce experience for its customers.
Tokunbo Abiru, Skye Bank GMD/CEO
Comments