Union Bank Backs Nigerian Teachers as Maltina Teacher of the Year Competition Marks 12th Edition

Union Bank of Nigeria has reaffirmed its commitment to Nigerian teachers and the wider education sector at the flag off of the 12th edition of the Maltina Teacher of the Year Competition (MTOTY), held today in Lagos.

Now in its third consecutive year as a partner, the Bank joined organisers Nigerian Breweries Plc and the Felix Ohiwerei Education Trust Fund, alongside educators and sector stakeholders, for a panel session on how educational support can enhance learning outcomes for teachers and students.

Speaking on behalf of Union Bank, Chief Brand and Marketing Officer, Olufunmilola Aluko, positioned education as central to the Bank’s purpose rather than a peripheral cause.

“At Union Bank, we believe education is not a social obligation. It is a strategic investment,” she said. “A nation that does not invest in its teachers and its learners is borrowing from its own future, and we are in the business of building futures, not mortgaging them.”

She pointed to Edu360, the Bank’s flagship education initiative under the UnionCares platform, as the practical expression of that conviction.

Edu360 spans the full education value chain, from widening access for children in underserved communities and investing in the teachers who multiply learning outcomes, to building digital literacy and STEM capability, and preparing young people for employment or enterprise.

On the role of the financial sector, Aluko challenged her peers to think differently. “Financial institutions need to stop thinking of ourselves as donors and start thinking of ourselves as ecosystem builders,” she said.

“We can embed financial literacy into school curricula, design products that help parents save for their children’s education, and convene policymakers, educators and the private sector around shared goals. Above all, we can show up consistently, not only when it suits our brand calendars.”

She noted that lasting change requires sustained collaboration between the public and private sectors, and pointed to the strength of the signal sent when institutions commit to teachers at scale, citing the competition’s ₦100 million grand prize.

With twelve editions and more than three hundred teachers recognised to date, she described MTOTY as a model of the consistency Union Bank embodies through Edu360.

Her closing message was directed at educators across the country. “To every teacher in this country, what you do is not small,” she said. “Your story deserves to be told, and Nigeria needs to know your name.”

Union Bank’s participation aligns with United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 4 on inclusive and equitable quality education, and reflects the Bank’s broader commitment to social impact and sustainable development across the communities it serves.