Fidelity Bank Plc under the leadership of Mrs Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe is doing everything possible to improve the human capacity index of Nigeria by investing in education.
Recently, the financial institution donated about 1,000 solar-powered school bags to pupils in public primary schools in Ogun State.
The gesture was through its Lighting Young Minds initiative developed to improve access to quality education across the country.
“At Fidelity Bank, we see education as not only a means of knowledge transfer, but as a transformative force—a bridge to opportunity,” Mrs Onyeali-Ikpe said at the unveiled of the programme in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, on Friday, July 4, 2025.
The initiative reflects the bank’s commitment to tackling systemic barriers to learning—particularly the challenge of limited electricity in underserved communities, and it specifically aligns with one of the lender’s core Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) pillars of expanding access to quality education.
The bank executive explained that through the company’s SWEETA initiative, 1,000 solar-powered school bags are being donated to enable children to study safely at night, without the dangers associated with candles or kerosene lamps.
“Beyond helping them improve their academic performance,” she added, “we want to inspire young minds to see that innovation and resilience can light the path to a better future.”
The chief executive also highlighted Fidelity Bank’s broader investment in education, such as the SWEETA School Fees Support Initiative, which has disbursed over N8 billion in tuition support to eligible customers; the Read2Lead Writing Competition, which has impacted more than 3,000 students across Nigeria through prizes and grants; the Back-to-School Loans for parents; the Fidelity EduLoan which helps schools with infrastructure upgrades and asset acquisition; as well as the Green Energy Financing Program, which complements the solar-powered bag initiative by promoting sustainable energy use in education via solar energy.
The solar-powered bags—designated for schools across all 20 local government areas in Ogun State—were officially unveiled by Mrs Onyeali-Ikpe alongside the First Lady of Ogun State, Mrs Bamidele Abiodun.
The wife of Governor Dapo Abiodun praised the project, calling it a crucial and timely intervention in child development and foundational learning.
“This initiative directly enhances learning for children in communities with limited electricity. It’s a brilliant example of how simple, practical innovations can drive profound change—keeping children in school and helping them thrive,” she said.
She further noted its alignment with United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 4, which promotes inclusive and equitable quality education for all, and called on other private sector players to emulate Fidelity Bank’s leadership in social impact.
The Lighting Young Minds initiative is an extension of Fidelity Bank’s mission of empowering Nigeria’s future generations through inclusive, sustainable, and forward-thinking educational solutions. As the bank continues to bridge opportunity gaps, it remains steadfast in its pursuit of a brighter future for children across the country.