Press release/Keystone Bank

In line with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) financial inclusion policy, Keystone Bank Limited at the weekend took the message to children, teaching them the benefit of having a saving culture.

Speaking to NASRUL-LAHI-L-FATIH Society (NASFAT) children at a holiday camp ground at Homat Group Of School in Ikorodu, the bank Executive Director, Corporate Banking and Treasury, Mr. Afeez Bakare said that the programme is specifically targeted at school children to raise awareness on finances.

He noted that the bank is going in line with the CBN in conjunction with other stakeholders in the financial literacy steering committee and the Ministry of Education is developing the financial literacy curriculum to be included in the Nigerian school system from 2015.

According to Bakare, this programme was designed to raise awareness in finances amongst children and Youths in primary and post-primary schools saying that financial literacy constituted an integral part of developing tomorrow’s leaders.

“Children can begin to build a culture of saving from an early age”, he enthused, adding that the essence of this programme is financial literacy and to be able to educate children and imbibe knowledge in them on the use of money within the financial system and also in fulfilment of one of the pillars of the Bank’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) thrust, geared towards taking education to young Nigerians and encouraging financial literacy amongst the youths.”

He stated that a couple of banks had embarked on a lot of financial inclusion programmes within the last couple of months with indication to what the CBN expects from them, saying “What we are doing is taking a step forward beyond what other banks has done by taking the programme to society groups and religious groups where we can educate our youths and ensure we improve the level of financial inclusion.”

He observed that the bank will take the programme to different part of country, noting that today event is not for students who are resident in Lagos, this is a camp which comprise of 150 students who are from different part of the country and we have been able to use this medium to track children from different part of the country.

The bank equally donated bags and writing materials to the student at the camp ground.

The bank has a Keystone Bank Future Account which is a savings account for kids and teenagers, which supports parents and guardians to plan the education of their children or ward with various benefits, account can be opened for the child by parents or family friend and opening and minimum balance of N2,000.

Others are cheques and dividend warrants can be paid into the account, school fees loan for parents under Keystone Bank Education Support Scheme, annual Scholarship Award promotion and safe and secure opportunity to build funds for future use.