By Our Correspondent
In furtherance of a shared commitment to youth development, the Director General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, on Tuesday received delegates from WEMA Bank headquarters at National Orientation Agency Headquarters Abuja. The delegation was led by Mr Tunde Mabawonku, Executive Director, who represented the Managing Director/CEO of WEMA Bank, Mr Moruf Oseni.
The Director General congratulated WEMA Bank on its 80th anniversary, noting that as Nigeria’s first indigenous bank, its longevity is a testament to the country’s viability as a thriving business environment. He called on both local and international stakeholders to take advantage of the abundant opportunities that a developing nation like Nigeria offers.
Commending WEMA Bank’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts, Issa-Onilu discussed the ongoing collaboration talks between the two organisations. He highlighted the NOA Campus Debate initiative, which offers a platform for young students to actively participate in nation-building. Following the success of the pilot edition, he announced that the 2025 edition’s grand finale will be hosted at the State House in Abuja by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu later in the year.
He also mentioned other NOA youth-focused engagement platforms, such as the Hackathon, where Nigerians—particularly the youth—can learn about government policies while winning airtime for correct answers. Other initiatives include the upcoming NOA Sports Communication Strategy, the “Nigeria Happened to Me” short documentary series, Projecting Nigeria in the right perspective, NOA cartoon content, grassroots outreach activities, the NOA Explainer newsletter, and more.
Issa-Onilu added that the Agency’s partnerships with major television stations including MultiChoice (Africa Magic), over 100 radio stations, and hundreds of social media influencers would ensure the success and wide reach of the collaboration.
In his response, Mr Moruf Oseni represented by Mr Tunde Mabawonku, expressed enthusiasm about the proposed partnership. He noted: “At WEMA Bank, we already have existing channels through which we champion youth-focused projects.” He emphasised that collaboration with the NOA would further enhance youth engagement and development across Nigeria leveraging on NOA’s 774 local government reach.
Also present at the meeting were Ms. Tolu Meduna, TA media NOA, Mr Chioma Onuaguluchi, WEMA Bank’s Regional Manger Abuja, and Mr Timileyin Obisesan, Head of Partnerships and Payment at WEMA Bank, accompanied by other staff members.
