Ecobank Nigeria Limited, a subsidiary of the Ecobank Group, has teamed up with the Nigeria Chess Federation (NCF) to host the 2024 National Schools’ Team Chess Competition.
The event is set to take place from the 24th to the 28th of May 2024 at the Ecobank Pan African Centre (EPAC) in Victoria Island, Lagos. Students from primary, secondary, and tertiary educational institutions are invited to participate, with prizes totaling over N10 million up for grabs.
The competition is expected to be attended by representatives from the Ministry of Education, Sports, and Youth Development, as well as parents, teachers, embassies, and other stakeholders.
Registration and participation are free, and schools can register their teams by sending an email to [email protected].
Bolaji Lawal, the Managing Director/Regional Executive of Ecobank Nigeria, expressed the bank’s commitment to supporting intellectual and sports development in Nigeria through sponsoring the Chess competition.
He emphasized the importance of empowering children and youth, aligning with Ecobank’s vision of contributing to the economic and financial integration of Africa.
“Children and youth empowerment is part of our shared objective as the pan-African Bank. It aligns with our overall long-term vision of building a world class Pan African bank that contributes to the economic and financial integration of the continent. We are also using the opportunity of this competition to introduce and empower them with convenient, affordable, and accessible digital financial services they can access anytime and anywhere they are. Arrangements are in place to make the competition exciting and fulfilling for both the children and undergraduate students,” he stated.
Prince Adeyinka Adewole, Vice President of the Nigeria Chess Federation, highlighted the educational benefits of Chess and commended Ecobank for sponsoring the competition.
He encouraged institutions to participate in the event, emphasizing the opportunity to showcase talent, promote teamwork, and foster sportsmanship among participants.
In addition to sponsoring the Chess competition, Ecobank has undertaken various initiatives to support youth development in Nigeria.
These include providing training and support services in Agribusiness and partnering with Learntor to offer capacity building in various fields.
The bank has also refurbished learning equipment, provided digital training, and promoted financial literacy in schools across the country.
