Access Bank has set Saturday, July 4, 2026 to host its annual UK Polo Day in Windsor, an event when judged by past editions, promises to be one of the season’s most captivating social experiences.

The guest list is a true global roll call, bringing together investors, entrepreneurs, public sector leaders, and cultural influencers, from around the world. It is the kind of setting where a brief exchange over lunch can swiftly evolve into a strategic partnership by day’s end.

But beyond the prominence of those in attendance lies a deeper significance: the collective impact their presence is helping to drive, far beyond Windsor, and thousands of miles away in Northern Nigeria.

The Access Bank UK Polo Day has always carried a philanthropic dimension. This year, that dimension takes centrestage. Proceeds from the event will go directly towards the construction of additional classroom blocks in underserved communities across Northern Nigeria, a region where the gap between school-age children and available learning spaces remains one of the most stubborn obstacles to progress.

For many families in these communities, a classroom is not a given; it is a luxury. Access Bank has been changing that. The numbers tell a familiar and troubling story. Millions of children across Nigeria’s north remain out of school, some because of distance, some because of poverty, and many simply because there is no building to go to.

Bricks and mortar matter. A classroom block does not just give children somewhere to sit; it signals to a community that their children’s futures are worth investing in. It draws teachers. It gives girls a reason, and a safer route, to stay in education. It plants something durable in a place that often feels forgotten by the institutions that should be paying attention. This is the logic behind Access Bank’s commitment.

Access Bank has long recognised that financial inclusion and human development are not parallel pursuits, but one continuous journey. A resilient economy cannot be built on an undereducated workforce, nor can a generation be empowered without first equipping it with the tools to learn. In that sense, the classroom blocks being funded through this year’s Polo Day represent more of a deliberate investment in long-term economic growth than a humanitarian gesture.

What started as a polo fixture has grown into something harder to categorise: part networking forum, part celebration of what African enterprise looks like on a global stage. For Access Bank, the day has become one of the clearest expressions of what the institution is actually trying to do: make it easier for capital, talent, and ideas to move across borders, and to ensure that the benefits of that movement reach communities that rarely appear on an investor’s map.

This year’s event arrives at a moment when those connections feel more urgent than ever. Trade corridors are shifting. Development finance is being redirected. And the institutions best positioned to lead are those that already have trusted relationships and the credibility to match.

Access Bank has spent the better part of two decades building those relationships. The Polo Day is where they show up in person. Windsor lends the occasion its own particular atmosphere. A short drive from London but removed enough from the city to encourage the kind of unhurried conversation that rarely happens in a boardroom, it is a fitting setting for an event that has always been as much about relationship-building as it is about sport.

Jamie Simmonds, Managing Director of The Access Bank UK, was direct about what the day means: “Every year, we bring together an extraordinary community of leaders from across the world. People come to strengthen relationships, explore new possibilities, and contribute to something that matters. What matters most is the chance to make a real, lasting difference in the lives of young Nigerians who simply need a place to learn.”

For Nigerian observers, the symbolism is hard to miss. A bank founded on Nigerian soil is using one of England’s most prestigious social calendars to raise money for classrooms in Kaduna. That is not a small thing; it is a statement about where Access Bank believes its obligations lie, to shareholders and regulators as well as communities that made it possible in the first place.

The matches will be played. The conversations will happen. And somewhere in Northern Nigeria, a child will eventually walk into a classroom that did not exist before July 4, 2026.

One month after launching Season 5 of its flagship 5 for 5 Rewards campaign, Wema Bank has rewarded 273 customers with a total of ₦17.96 million, demonstrating the strong early impact of its refreshed customer rewards platform and reinforcing its commitment to rewarding everyday banking.

Launched on May 2, 2026, as part of the Bank’s 81st anniversary celebration, this season of the campaign introduced a more structured and inclusive rewards framework designed to encourage positive financial habits while recognising customer loyalty across the Youth, Women and Mass Market segments.

The season opened with a special anniversary activation at Ikeja City Mall, where 81 customers received ₦81,000 each, resulting in ₦6.56 million in rewards on launch day. Since then, the campaign has continued to reward customers through daily and monthly draws, with an additional 192 winners emerging within the first month.

Across the Youth segment, 37 students have received rewards worth ₦4.4 million, including 20 students who received ₦50,000 PocketMoni rewards and 17 university students who received ₦200,000 each in Tuition Support.

The Women segment also recorded strong participation, with 12 customers receiving ₦150,000 each through the #SelfCare category, while the Mass Market segment recorded the highest number of winners. Within the first month, 120 customers received daily cash rewards, and 23 customers won ₦200,000 each in the monthly draw, bringing total rewards in the category to ₦5.2 million.

Commenting on the campaign’s early impact, Wema Bank’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Moruf Oseni, said; “At Wema Bank, we believe loyalty should be rewarded in ways that are meaningful, transparent and accessible. The response to Season 5 of the 5 for 5 Rewards campaign has been encouraging, and seeing hundreds of customers benefit within just one month reinforces our belief that everyday banking should create everyday opportunities.

Beyond rewarding transactions, we are encouraging positive financial habits while delivering real value to our customers. He added; “This is only the beginning. With more reward categories, more winners and more opportunities still ahead, we remain committed to creating meaningful impact for our customers and ensuring more Nigerians experience the value of banking with Wema.”

Customers can participate by opening or reactivating a Wema Bank account, funding it with a minimum of ₦5,000, maintaining an average monthly balance of ₦5,000, and completing at least five transactions every month using the ALAT app, Wema or ALAT cards, or *945#.

With over ₦170 million earmarked for rewards between May and December 2026, thousands more customers are expected to benefit as the campaign continues, reaffirming Wema Bank’s commitment to rewarding loyalty, promoting positive financial behaviour and delivering value beyond banking.

In commemoration of World Environment Day 2026, the UBA Foundation, the Corporate Social Responsibility arm of United Bank for Africa (UBA) Group, has reinforced its commitment to environmental sustainability through a tree-planting exercise at two of Lagos’ most historic educational institutions – King’s College, Lagos, and CMS Grammar School, Bariga.

The exercise marks the commencement of the Foundation’s 2026 Tree Planting for Sustainability Initiative, which is being implemented across selected schools in Nigeria to promote environmental consciousness among young people and encourage climate-positive action.
Observed annually on June 5 and coordinated by the United Nations, World Environment Day is the world’s leading platform for environmental awareness and advocacy. The 2026 theme, “Inspired by Nature. For Climate. For Our Future,” underscores the urgent need for collective action to address climate change and environmental degradation.

Speaking during the exercise at CMS Grammar School, Managing Director/CEO, UBA Foundation, Bola Atta, described the initiative as a strategic investment in the future.

“We want young people to understand that the environment needs our collective support and protection. Through initiatives like this, we are encouraging the next generation to embrace sustainable practices that will help create healthier communities and a better future for all,” she said.

Now in its fourth year, the Tree Planting for Sustainability Initiative is designed to instill environmental responsibility in students by integrating sustainability practices into school communities and empowering young people to become environmental ambassadors.

Atta explained that the choice of King’s College and CMS Grammar School was deliberate, reflecting both institutions’ rich heritage and their capacity to sustain the initiative over time.

“These are iconic institutions with deep historical significance. CMS Grammar School is Nigeria’s oldest secondary school, while King’s College has been shaping leaders for more than a century. We wanted schools where these trees will be nurtured and allowed to flourish for generations to come,” she noted.

The initiative comes at a time when rapid urbanisation has continued to reduce green spaces across many Nigerian cities, highlighting the need for sustained environmental restoration efforts.

“Over the years, development has often taken precedence over environmental preservation, leading to the loss of many trees and green areas. However, there is no better time than now to begin restoring our environment and making a lasting impact,” Atta added.

The exercise forms part of UBA Group’s broader commitment to Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) principles.
Speaking at the event, UBA’s Group Chief Risk Officer, Awele Ajibola, emphasized the importance of proactive environmental stewardship in addressing climate-related risks.

“At UBA, initiatives like this demonstrate our commitment to the environment and the communities we serve. Climate change presents real and growing risks, and as a responsible financial institution, we recognise our role in driving positive environmental action and sustainable development,” Ajibola stated.

The tree-planting exercise is one of several activities being implemented by the Group to commemorate #WED2026. Other activities include UBA’s inauguration as a member of the Finance Taskforce for Plastic Action in Nigeria, Green Talk sessions with customers across branches, the launch of Sustainability Clubs in participating schools, environmental awareness campaigns across the Bank’s communication platforms, and a month-long Green Challenge designed to encourage environmentally responsible behaviour.

Commending the initiative, Principal of CMS Grammar School, Revd. Jacob Ayokunle Ogunyinka, described the exercise as a practical extension of environmental education.

“Our students learn about the importance of trees and environmental conservation in the classroom. Seeing these principles demonstrated in practice deepens their understanding and inspires greater responsibility towards protecting the environment,” he said.

Similarly, Principal of King’s College, Magaji Zachariah, expressed appreciation to UBA Foundation for selecting the institution as one of the beneficiaries of the programme and for investing in environmental education.

Beyond planting trees, the Foundation engaged students in discussions on environmental stewardship, encouraging responsible practices such as proper waste disposal, water conservation, recycling, and energy efficiency.

Referencing the famous words of Nobel Laureate and environmentalist Wangari Maathai, Atta reminded participants of the importance of immediate action: “The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago. The second-best time is now.”

UBA Foundation is the Corporate Social Responsibility arm of United Bank for Africa (UBA) Group. The Foundation is committed to the socio-economic development of communities across Africa through strategic interventions focused on education, environmental sustainability, economic empowerment, and special projects.