Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NIDC) has said that it remains committed to tap savings culture of unbanked active poor Nigerians in order to improve their financial inclusion and accelerate investment growth in the nation’s economy.

Mr. Olatayo Babatolu, the Director, NIDC Bank Examination Department, made the remarks in Ilorin, Kwara state capital over the weekend during the Financial Literacy Day Workshop to mark 2021 Global Money Week for over 100 students across Secondary schools in Ilorin held at Government Day Secondary School, Maraba, Ilorin, the state capital.

According to him, “Financial Literacy event is all about getting our young adults especially those in secondary schools across the 36 states of the federation and FCT, Abuja and as it is presently holding in Ilorin, Kwara state capital to enlist them to understand the essence of managing their financial well being and tranfered exposures to their fellow students in their schools”

He said, “This financial literacy programme which started in March this year was a nationwide event and as a way to change the attitude of unbanked poor Nigerians on how to keep their money safely, protect and make use of it wisely for investment development’.

Babatolu who decried the unhealthy keeping of nation’s money by some poor Nigerians said that, the workshop provided the chance to educate young youths on how to keep their money safe at designated banks instead of keeping it in an unsecured environment that can be stolen or mutilated by termites.

He opined that, “the idea is to change the attitude of our local people in keeping their money in an unsafe environment by making use of our students in various schools of the federation to pass the information to their colleagues and at the end to their immediate families in various towns and villages across the nation.”

Represented at the event by the Assistant Director of the Bank Examination department of the corporation, Mr. Roberts Ekenwa, Mr. Babatolu added that, “the desire of the NIDC is to derive financial inclusion of the students and the entire people of the country especially those in rural areas to the financial system in order to take advantage of the benefits that are available in the financial system to boost their business growth”.

He stressed that, apart from this, “it will also promote savings culture, financial products and to ensure that they appreciate the safety that is available in keeping their financial resources in the nation for investment derive opportunities”

While calling the students to take advantage of the educative event by having a changing of attitude of properly keeping their money in a safer place in the bank rather than keeping it in an unsaved place, Mr. Babatolu however advised them to transfer the knowledge gathered at the seminar to their fellow students so as to involve themselves in the financial inclusion of the economy.

Also speaking, Saadatu Modibbo- Kawu, the state commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development, lauded the NIDC for bringing the financial literacy workshop to youths in the secondary schools in the state.

She said, “Let me use this medium to express my utmost appreciations to NDIC for bringing this memorable programme to our youth in Secondary schools.

This is a remarkable way to collaborate with the Government of Kwara state and it will go a long way in complementing the effort of the state governor who has been providing a good conducive learning environment for both teachers and students in the state.

Modibbo also enjoyed the students to listen attentively to all the papers that would be presented for their future benefits.