Key points
- Access Bank and King’s Trust International have signed a formal strategic partnership to expand youth employment and entrepreneurship across Africa
- The agreement was signed by Access Bank MD/CEO Roosevelt Ogbonna and KTI CEO Will Straw CBE, with Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu among witnesses
- Access Bank will fund delivery of KTI programmes equipping young Africans with skills and pathways into employment and self-employment
- The deal brings together KTI’s youth development expertise and Access Bank’s pan-African financial infrastructure
Main story
Access Bank Plc and King’s Trust International (KTI) have formalised a cross-sector partnership aimed at expanding economic opportunity, entrepreneurship and skills development for young people across the African continent.
The agreement was signed by Roosevelt Ogbonna, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Access Bank, and Will Straw CBE, Chief Executive of King’s Trust International, in a ceremony attended by senior officials from both organisations.
Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, CFR — Co-Chair of KTI’s Africa Advisory Board and Chairman of Access Holdings Plc — was present at the signing alongside his Co-Chair, Ofovwe Aig-Imoukhuede, and Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, signalling the weight of institutional backing behind the deal.
What the deal covers
Under the terms of the agreement, Access Bank will support the rollout of King’s Trust International programmes across several African countries. The programmes are designed to equip young people with practical skills, confidence and structured pathways into employment and self-employment.
King’s Trust International, a global youth development organisation, brings a track record of programme delivery in underserved communities. Access Bank contributes its pan-African branch and digital infrastructure, along with what both sides describe as a longstanding institutional commitment to inclusive growth.
Why it matters for Nigeria and Africa
Youth unemployment remains one of the most structurally persistent challenges facing African economies. Nigeria’s own unemployment and underemployment figures have consistently ranked among the continent’s highest, making bank-led investment in youth skilling programmes a subject of growing policy and commercial interest.
The partnership positions Access Bank — one of Africa’s largest lenders by assets — as a direct delivery partner for structured youth interventions, rather than a passive funder. That distinction is significant: it suggests the collaboration is designed for measurable programme outcomes rather than reputational association alone.
For King’s Trust International, the agreement represents an expansion of its Africa footprint with a major financial institution providing the distribution reach its programmes require to operate at scale.
What’s being said
Will Straw CBE, Chief Executive of King’s Trust International, said: “This partnership with Access Bank reflects a shared commitment to unlocking the potential of young people across Africa. By combining our experience in youth development with Access Bank’s scale and leadership across the continent, we can create meaningful pathways to opportunity and long-term impact.”
Roosevelt Ogbonna, Managing Director and CEO of Access Bank, said: “At Access Bank, we believe that empowering young people is fundamental to Africa’s sustainable growth. Our partnership with King’s Trust International reinforces our commitment to entrepreneurship, job creation and inclusive development, while enabling us to play a purposeful role in shaping the continent’s future.”
What’s next
Both organisations have not yet disclosed the specific countries where programmes will be launched first, the size of Access Bank’s financial commitment, or the timeline for initial delivery. Programme rollout details, target beneficiary numbers and country prioritisation are expected to follow as the partnership moves from signing into implementation.
Bottom line
The Access Bank-KTI deal is a bet that private sector scale and structured youth programming can move together — and that Africa’s largest banks have a role beyond credit in shaping labour market outcomes. Whether the partnership translates its institutional weight into on-the-ground impact will depend on what comes after the signing ceremony.es its institutional weight into on-the-ground impact will depend on what comes after the signing ceremony.
