By Ayomide otitoju
Zenith Bank Plc has reaffirmed its commitment to child development, saying its Children’s Day activities reflect a broader mission to equip young Nigerians with the skills, values, and opportunities needed to become future leaders.
The bank said it has expanded investments across education, financial literacy, healthcare, digital inclusion, and social protection as part of a long-term strategy to nurture children from an early age.
As part of its financial literacy drive, Zenith Bank has partnered for over three years with Kiddies Corner on Inspiration 92.3FM Lagos, supporting programmes that combine spelling competitions with financial education and promote its Zenith Children’s Account (ZECA).
The initiative was further highlighted at the Inspiration FM Children’s Day Carnival on May 23, 2026, where the bank hosted more than 1,000 children and parents, rewarding ZECA participants with games, performances, and branded gifts.
The bank also runs a quarterly Financial Literacy Week across schools nationwide, covering all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, where students are trained on savings, budgeting, and basic investment concepts. Outstanding participants receive cash rewards, while its broader outreach under the Global Money Week programme reached over 3,600 students in 2025.
In line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 4 on quality education, Zenith Bank has supported schools and communities with ICT centres, libraries, classroom renovations, and vocational facilities across Nigeria, including interventions in Lagos, Jigawa, and other states.
Additional interventions include scholarships, infrastructure upgrades, and targeted donations to schools and education funds, particularly aimed at improving access for girls and children in underserved communities.
Through its Primary Healthcare Centre Initiative across all 774 local government areas, the bank also integrates financial literacy awareness into health outreach programmes, linking child wellbeing with early savings habits.
Its “PAD-A-QUEEN” initiative has also supported menstrual health education, reaching thousands of schoolgirls with hygiene products and awareness campaigns designed to keep girls in school and promote gender equality.
Beyond education and health, Zenith Bank said it continues to support vulnerable children through donations to orphanages, schools for the blind, and child protection centres, as well as annual charity visits and youth empowerment programmes.
Speaking on the bank’s efforts, Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Adaora Umeoji, said the initiatives reflect a deliberate commitment to shaping the future of Nigerian children.
She said the bank views children not only as future leaders but as a present responsibility, stressing the importance of early investment in education, skills, and wellbeing.
Zenith Bank also highlighted its long-running Annual Youth Parade, which for 19 years has brought together thousands of young people in a celebration of discipline, unity, and leadership development.
The bank said its Children’s Day activities represent a year-round commitment to empowering children, describing its interventions as part of a broader effort to prepare Nigeria’s next generation for leadership and opportunity.
