Union Bank, Partners Recognise Outstanding Educators and Commission Digital Learning Centre in Abuja

Union Bank of Nigeria has again demonstrated its longstanding commitment to improving educational outcomes for students, teachers, and young people in the communities it serves through its sponsorship of the 2026 Maltina Teacher of the Year Award Grand Finale, held on Friday, October 30 at Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.

Now in its third consecutive year as a partner of the Maltina Teacher of the Year Competition (MTOTY), which is in its 12th edition, the Bank joined the organisers, Nigerian Breweries Plc and the Felix Ohiwerei Education Trust Fund, and sector stakeholders to celebrate teaching excellence as the overall winner was announced.

Ms Busayo Victoria Adeyemo of Lanre Awolokun High School, Gbagada, Lagos, was named Maltina Teacher of the Year 2026 from ten finalists selected out of more than 2,000 entries nationwide.

Her prizes include ₦10 million, a new Honda SUV, an international capacity development programme, and a ₦30 million infrastructure project for her school.

Speaking on behalf of Union Bank at the Grand Finale, the Chief Brand and Marketing Officer, Mrs Olufunmilola Aluko, congratulated the finalists and state champions and described the competition as one of the most consistent private sector commitments to the teaching profession in Nigeria, with more than 300 teachers recognised to date.

She said the partnership sits at the heart of Edu360, the Bank’s flagship education initiative under the UnionCares platform, which works across the full education value chain, and added: “Teachers remain at the centre of that work, because every other investment in education depends on the person who stands in front of the class each morning.”

The Chairman of the Nigerian Breweries/Felix Ohiwerei Education Trust Fund and Managing Director of Nigerian Breweries Plc, Mr Thibaut Boidin, said teachers plant seeds in the classroom that take years to bear fruit.

Earlier in October, Union Bank was also present at the commissioning of a Digital Learning Centre at Wisdom International School of Excellence (WISE), Sauka, Lugbe, Abuja.

The centre was developed by the Nigerian Breweries/Felix Ohiwerei Education Trust Fund in honour of the 2025 Maltina Teacher of the Year, Ms Serah Yusuf, who teaches at the school, with the support of Union Bank through its education platform, Edu360.

It provides computers, internet connectivity, and facilities for computer testing, to help learners build the digital skills required for higher education and prepare for examinations taken on computer, such as the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) Examination.

The commissioning was attended by representatives of the Federal Ministry of Education, the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria, the Nigeria Union of Teachers, and the school community. Union Bank’s delegation was led by the Abuja 2 Area Business Executive, Mr Francis Anaemene, who said:

“Union Bank is delighted to witness today’s fruition of our support for the Maltina Teacher of the Year initiative for the third year running. The achievement of Ms Serah Yusuf, the Maltina Teacher of the Year 2025 national winner, is a testament to her school’s culture of excellence, and today’s commissioning is a fitting celebration of it.”

Union Bank’s support for education is anchored on Edu360, established in 2018 to strengthen education in three areas: improving access, enhancing quality, and optimising learning outcomes through partnerships across industries.

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