By Olatunde Ajayi
The Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) has reaffirmed its commitment to financial literacy for young Nigerians, with its latest campaign targeting secondary school students in Oyo State.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme for the 2026 Financial Literacy Day is: “Smart Money Talks”.
The event is a major activity under Global Money Week.
The campaign is aimed at giving students solid financial knowledge, which is key to building a responsible society and protecting depositors’ funds.
Speaking at the event held at Lagelu Grammar School, Ibadan, on Thursday, the NDIC Managing Director, Mr Sunday Oludare, noted that the Bankers’ Committee adopted the day as a platform to mentor youths on the habit of saving and graduating to investment.
Oludare was represented by the Assistant Director of Communication and Public Affairs, Mr Adegbenga Fagbuyi.
He further said that the initiative aligned with the financial inclusion drive of the Federal Government.
According to him, financial inclusion means bringing everybody into the financial safety net by getting them involved in banking, insurance, pensions, and the capital market.
“Government wants everybody to be a participant in that sector. And how can they be participants if they are not financially literate, if they don’t know how to save or graduate their savings into investment?” he said.
Oludare emphasised that youths were a major target of the government’s financial inclusion drive, adding that the government did not want young people to grow into adulthood without knowledge of savings, safe banking habits, insurance, and the capital market.
“This informed NDIC’s decision to go to schools to sensitise students on basic financial matters, with particular emphasis on savings,” he said.
He, however, said that the objective of the initiative was not to cover all schools, but to set a standard for state governments and schools to replicate.
He urged the Oyo State Ministry of Education, Science and Technology to expand and replicate the programme across schools in the state to deepen financial inclusion among youths.
Earlier, the Principal of Lagelu Grammar School, Mr. Adeyanju Gbolagade, said the programme had made students realise they were not too young to start saving or investing.
Mr Olusegun Olayiwola, the state Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, praised the Bankers’ Committee, NDIC and the Central Bank of Nigeria for the initiative to promote a savings and investment culture among young students.
Olayiwola, who was represented by Mr Kareem Lukuman, Permanent Secretary of the Education Inspectorate, Ibadan North, urged NDIC to expand the programme to other schools.
According to him, students cannot gain all necessary financial knowledge in accounting or business studies classes alone.
He therefore urged teachers to pass on the knowledge from the programme to other students who were not part of the sensitisation session.
NAN reports that the programme included lectures on savings and safe savings options, legitimate investment opportunities, the mandate of NDIC, as well as a question and answer session.(NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Remi Koleoso