Key points:
- Wema Bank’s One-Day MD/CEO, Chinmamanda Diamond Ozoakpata, unveiled new children-focused initiatives at the 2026 Children’s Day event in Lagos.
- The programmes include birthday cash gifts, academic rewards, STEM competitions, and a financial literacy book for children.
- The initiatives will run across 2026–2027 under the bank’s Royal Kiddies and ALAT Xplore platforms, targeting financial inclusion and youth empowerment.
Main story
Wema Bank has expanded its Children’s Day engagement programme with a suite of year-long initiatives aimed at deepening financial literacy, rewarding academic excellence, and promoting leadership skills among Nigerian children.
The announcement was made at the bank’s Children’s Day Special Event held on Monday, May 25, 2026, where Chinmamanda Diamond Ozoakpata served as One-Day Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer.
In her first official action in office, Ozoakpata unveiled a series of initiatives under the bank’s Royal Kiddies account and ALAT Xplore platform, describing them as part of a broader effort to reimagine Children’s Day beyond a symbolic celebration into a sustained developmental programme.
According to the bank, the new interventions are designed to support children across different age brackets through financial rewards, educational tools, and innovation-driven competitions.
One of the key initiatives is the Birthday Cash Gift scheme for Royal Kiddies account holders. Under the programme, children turning five will receive ₦5,000, while those turning ten will receive ₦10,000 automatically within the May 2026 to May 2027 cycle. The bank also confirmed that eligible children who had already reached these milestones earlier in the year would receive their rewards.
To qualify, children must maintain active Royal Kiddies accounts within the stipulated age bracket.
The bank also introduced a ₦100,000 academic reward scheme for the top 100 performers in the National Common Entrance Examination (NCEE), set to commence in June 2026. The initiative is targeted at encouraging academic excellence while promoting financial inclusion among high-performing pupils.
Eligible beneficiaries must be among the top 100 candidates in the NCEE and must hold active Royal Kiddies accounts.
In addition, Wema Bank launched a children’s financial literacy publication titled “Money Adventures”, designed for children aged six and above. The book introduces basic financial concepts such as saving, budgeting, and responsible money management in an age-appropriate format.
The publication will be distributed to children with active or newly activated Royal Kiddies accounts.
For older children, the bank unveiled the Evolve School Tour STEM Challenge, targeted at secondary school students aged 13 to 17 under the ALAT Xplore platform. The programme will run across six schools nationwide with established STEM programmes.
The initiative combines science, technology, engineering, and mathematics competitions with financial literacy education, offering participants the opportunity to win monetary rewards while developing innovation skills.
The issues
Financial inclusion experts say that early exposure to banking, savings culture, and digital financial tools remains limited among Nigerian children, particularly in underserved communities.
Data from Nigeria’s financial inclusion efforts over the years show that while progress has been made, gaps remain in youth-targeted financial education and structured savings engagement.
Analysts also note that the integration of financial literacy into school-age development programmes is increasingly being recognised as a key tool for long-term economic empowerment.
What’s being said
Wema Bank stated that its Children’s Day initiatives have evolved from symbolic celebrations into structured developmental interventions aimed at building future-ready children.
According to the bank, the introduction of year-long programmes marks a shift toward sustained engagement rather than one-day commemorations.
It also noted that combining financial rewards with education and innovation challenges is intended to build confidence, leadership capacity, and financial discipline among young Nigerians.
What’s next
The bank confirmed that the new initiatives will run throughout the 2026–2027 cycle, with periodic activations including birthday rewards, academic competitions, school tours, and financial literacy distribution.
Wema Bank is also expected to expand participation in its Royal Kiddies and ALAT Xplore platforms as part of its broader youth engagement strategy.
Bottom line
Wema Bank’s expanded Children’s Day programme signals a shift from ceremonial celebration to structured youth development, blending financial incentives with education and innovation tools aimed at shaping financially literate and academically competitive future generations.
