The Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) has trained 200 secondary school students in Osun State on money-saving strategies, investment awareness and wealth-building skills, as part of efforts to nurture a strong savings culture among young Nigerians.

The training, which drew participants from public secondary schools across Osogbo and Olorunda Local Government Areas, was designed to empower students to not only manage their finances wisely but also share the knowledge with classmates who could not attend.

Speaking at the event, the Assistant Director of Communication at NDIC, Adegbenga Fabuyi, said the workshop was organised to mark World Savings Day and was endorsed by the Bankers’ Committee, comprising the Central Bank of Nigeria and commercial banks nationwide.

According to him, the initiative aims to mentor secondary school students on the importance of saving early, while equipping them with basic entrepreneurial skills that can guide their financial decisions into adulthood.

“This year’s theme, ‘Building Financial Resilience: This is not a Savings Account,’ underscores the need for young people to move beyond just saving money to understanding investment and wealth creation,” Fabuyi said.

He noted that while saving remains important, merely keeping money in a bank does not generate substantial returns, stressing the need for students to learn about investment options and how to identify viable business opportunities.

Fabuyi also cautioned against the growing culture of seeking quick wealth, emphasizing that sustainable wealth is built gradually through discipline, knowledge and informed decision-making.

The programme, he added, aligns with the Federal Government’s financial inclusion drive, which seeks to bring more citizens into the formal financial system through financial literacy and awareness.

Representing the Osun State Commissioner for Education, Hon. Dipo Eluwole, Abolarinwa Tunde of the Public School Department said 20 students were selected from each of the 10 participating schools.

He explained that the training was aimed at equipping the next generation with practical financial skills, encouraging entrepreneurship, and fostering self-reliance among students.