Distinguished guests, esteemed speakers and valued youth joining us from every part of Nigeria and the world, it is with great pleasure that I welcome you to the 2021 edition of the Youth Leadership Series (YLS). In 2018, the YLS was birthed as an avenue to engage and empower young Nigerians to become future business leaders. Four years on, we are still committed to the vision with every subsequent edition surpassing the achievements of the previous. I am confident that this year’s programme will be beneficial to everyone present at this virtual edition.
According to statistics, youth make up over 50 percent of Nigeria’s population. Therefore, as a nation, we should accord priority to harness their potentials and accelerate the country’s economic growth. The Nigerian youth require support, guidance and empowerment to propel them to the pinnacle of their various fields.
The innovative projects and tech disruptions championed by the youth in virtually every sector are proof of their ingenuity, skill, brilliance and resourcefulness. At Stanbic IBTC Holdings PLC, we believe in breaking boundaries, hence our tagline, IT CAN BE, which is hinged upon the premise that everything is possible as long as we are dedicated and put in requisite effort to make it work.
The theme of this year’s edition of the Youth Leadership Series is ‘Winning’, and it promises to be exciting. It is specifically designed to etch a winning mentality in the attendees’ and empower them to become future business leaders.
We will have three exciting and engaging breakout sessions: ‘Winning with Entrepreneurship, ‘Winning with Social Media’ and ‘Winning with Investment’. Our carefully selected speakers will be sharing their experiences and expertise at the various sessions for you all to learn from.
Let me at this point thank the panelists who have taken the time from their schedules to speak to us today. I urge everyone to pay close attention to the discussions and gain knowledge as the speakers share from their wealth of experience.
Our Corporate Social Investment initiatives at Stanbic IBTC are hinged on three pillars: Health, Economic Empowerment and Education. The Youth Leadership Series rests on our Economic Empowerment and Education pillars.
Other youth interventionist initiatives worthy of mention are our university scholarship scheme and Together4ALimb, our flagship CSI initiative. 88 (Eighty-Eight) students who gained admission into several tertiary institutions across the country benefitted from the university scholarship scheme
As I declare the fourth series of the YLS 2021 edition open, I would like to reiterate that at Stanbic IBTC, our continued commitment and unwavering support for Nigeria and its citizens most especially the youth is paramount to us because Nigeria is our home, and we drive her growth.
Thank You!