How Access Bank is Nurturing Africa’s Next Generation of Innovators

From a local initiative to one of Africa’s biggest STEM learning platforms, STEM Africa Fest has inspired nearly 30,000 young people, driven by Access Bank’s six-year commitment to science and technology education, writes Sunday Ehigiator

On a bright Saturday morning at Landmark Event Centre in Victoria Island, Lagos, the usual sounds of children’s laughter mixed with the whirring of drones, the buzz of 3D printers and animated conversations about artificial intelligence filled the ears.

Instead of spending the long school holiday indoors glued to television screens or mobile phones, more than 3,500 children gathered to immerse themselves in a world where science was exciting, technology was hands-on, engineering was creative, and mathematics became an adventure rather than a classroom obligation.

Across the expansive exhibition halls, children programmed robots, experimented with chemistry, built paper engineering models, flew drones, designed digital animations using artificial intelligence and interacted with more than 50 exhibitors showcasing cutting-edge technologies.

It was the sixth edition of STEM Africa Fest, now regarded as one of Africa’s largest STEM education festivals for children.

Yet beyond the colourful exhibitions and excitement lay a deeper story; not just about education, but about what sustained corporate investment can achieve when it is driven by purpose rather than publicity. That story begins with Access Bank.

Partnership with Belief

Long before the festival became an annual attraction drawing thousands of participants, before it expanded across Africa and before STEM education became fashionable among many organisations, Access Bank made an early decision to support an idea whose impact had not yet been proven.

Six years later, the results speak loudly. The bank has remained the headline sponsor throughout the festival’s journey, helping transform what began as a Nigerian initiative into a continental platform reaching children in Ghana, Rwanda, Kenya, Zambia, Sierra Leone, The Gambia and several Nigerian states.

For co-Convener of the event, Titi Adewusi, Access Bank’s role extends far beyond financial sponsorship. “They were the first people that believed in us. When it was just a dream that nobody was doing, we went around, and nobody understood. They took a chance on us from the very first year.”

That early confidence became the foundation upon which the festival expanded. According to Adewusi, it was Access Bank that encouraged the organisers to think beyond Nigeria.

“When we went to Ghana, it was because Access was in Ghana and they said, ‘Come, we’ll back you up.’ When we went to Gambia, Sierra Leone, Zambia and Kenya, they stood with us.”

Even more importantly, she said, the bank challenged them to dream beyond what they initially imagined possible. “They’ve been a partner everybody prays for. They’re the kind of partner that puts their money there and also helps you dream bigger.

 Investing in Tomorrow

Corporate sustainability has evolved significantly over the past decade. Increasingly, companies are recognising that creating lasting value requires investing not only in communities but also in future generations. For Access Bank, STEM Africa Fest fits squarely within that philosophy.

Speaking during the event, Programme Manager, Sustainability at Access Holdings, Ikechukwu Iheagwam, explained why the institution has remained committed to the initiative.

“In Access, we believe in the future, and the future is these children. In some years to come, these children will be the ones to shape the world.”

He noted that supporting STEM education aligns directly with the bank’s sustainability agenda, particularly its focus on education and technology.

Perhaps the most striking aspect of Access Bank’s involvement is its consistency. Many corporate partnerships last only a year or two before priorities change. Access Bank has remained involved throughout all six editions. That consistency has given organisers confidence to plan long-term, expand geographically and continually improve programme quality.

From Lagos to Abuja and Ilorin, and from Nigeria to multiple African countries, the bank’s backing has provided the stability necessary for sustainable growth. Another co-Founder, Jadesola Adediji, believes that commitment made all the difference.

“They probably didn’t fully understand what we were trying to do at the beginning, but irrespective, they put a bet on us. Year after year, Access Bank keeps showing up for us. If it wasn’t for them, especially when we were starting from ground zero, it would have been much harder.”

Learning by Doing

One reason STEM Africa Fest continues attracting thousands is its emphasis on experiential learning. Unlike traditional classroom settings where students often memorise theories, the festival encourages children to touch, build, experiment and create.

Adewusi described the festival as “a STEM wonderland. It has to be engaging. It has to be immersive. 

The children need to touch and feel. They don’t just hear about technology. They see it, and they do it; that philosophy is evident everywhere. Instead of reading about drones, children fly them. Instead of watching videos about robotics, they build robots. Instead of merely hearing about AI, they generate animations using artificial intelligence tools. Instead of learning chemistry from textbooks, they conduct real experiments.

AI takes centre stage.

This year’s edition reflected one unmistakable reality. Artificial intelligence has arrived. Masterclasses on AI attracted packed audiences as children learned how AI tools generate videos, solve problems and stimulate creativity. For many participants, it was their first practical exposure to the technology reshaping industries worldwide.

A student, Jason Lawal from Court Hill College, admitted he arrived simply hoping to broaden his knowledge. He left inspired. “I learned about artificial intelligence,” he said. “We worked in groups to create AI animations. It was really exciting.”

Jason believes AI education should become mainstream. “AI is what’s reigning now. So students really need to learn it.”

A Festival for Everyone

One notable aspect of STEM Africa Fest is its commitment to inclusion. While many educational programmes inadvertently cater mainly to privileged schools, STEM Africa Fest deliberately creates opportunities for children from public and low-income schools.

Sponsors, including Access Bank, purchase tickets enabling disadvantaged students to attend free of charge. According to Adewusi, this approach reflects the festival’s commitment to Sustainable Development Goal Four: Quality Education for All.

“We don’t want it to become elitist. We want children of every background to experience quality STEM education.”Each year, between 60 and 100 schools participate. That diversity enriches the learning environment while ensuring access is not determined solely by economic status.

STEM Africa Fest’s greatest achievement lies beyond attendance figures. It has catalysed a growing STEM education movement across Africa. Schools have established STEM clubs after attending. Educators have replicated similar festivals in their own states.

Organisers from other African countries now seek guidance on creating comparable programmes.

For educators, the impact becomes visible long after the festival ends. Tolulope Aleogena, Director of Briarcrest School, Ikeja, attended for the third consecutive year. This year, she brought students.

“It’s been really good,” she said. “The children experience things they ordinarily wouldn’t in school.” She observed that each edition introduces emerging technologies. “Every year you see something new. It tells the children that technology is constantly evolving.”

Such exposure broadens students’ perspectives while complementing classroom instruction.

Some participating students have also become regular attendees. Fatima Namama, now an SS1 student, has attended since junior secondary school.

“I always have fun here,” she said. “I always have something new to tell people when I go back.”

The Private Sector’s Role

While discussions about education often focus on government responsibilities, STEM Africa Fest demonstrates what effective public-private collaboration could achieve. Asked whether the government was doing enough, Iheagwam acknowledged ongoing efforts but emphasised that the government alone cannot meet every need.

“The government cannot do everything. Private sector participation is very important.”

His position reflects growing recognition that addressing educational gaps requires collective action. Businesses possess resources, technology, expertise and networks capable of complementing government interventions. When deployed effectively, those assets accelerate educational development.

Measuring Success Differently

Unlike many events where success is measured by attendance alone, STEM Africa Fest defines impact differently. For Adewusi, success begins with curiosity.

“If one child leaves saying, ‘I can do this,’ then we’ve achieved something.” The organisers equally celebrate when schools establish STEM clubs or teachers adopt more practical teaching methods. Those ripple effects often prove more valuable than the event itself.

From impacting roughly 25,000 children over five years to approaching 30,000 today, STEM Africa Fest continues expanding. Its ambitions are equally growing. Already active across several African countries, organisers believe the platform could eventually become global. That aspiration appears increasingly realistic. The demand exists. The model works. And crucially, strong partnerships continue providing momentum.

A blueprint for Corporate Impact

Access Bank’s involvement offers an important lesson for corporate Nigeria. Meaningful corporate social investment is rarely about one-off donations. Its greatest impact comes through sustained commitment, strategic collaboration and long-term vision.

By remaining invested over six years, Access Bank has helped build an institution rather than merely sponsor an event. Its contribution has enabled thousands of children to discover interests in coding, robotics, engineering, artificial intelligence and scientific inquiry. It has expanded educational opportunities across borders. It has strengthened Africa’s STEM ecosystem.

And perhaps most importantly, it has inspired countless young minds to believe that innovation belongs not only to Silicon Valley or Europe, but also to Africa.

Looking Ahead

As children reluctantly filed out of Landmark Event Centre at the close of the day’s activities, many carried no trophies or certificates. Instead, they left with something potentially far more valuable: curiosity, Confidence, and Imagination.

They also left with the knowledge of a drone successfully flown for the first time, a robot programmed for the first time, an AI animation created for the first time, a scientific experiment completed for the first time, etc.

For some, these may become lifelong memories. For others, they could become the first steps towards careers in engineering, medicine, artificial intelligence, software development or scientific research. Behind each possibility lies a network of educators, innovators, volunteers and corporate partners committed to nurturing Africa’s next generation.

Among those partners, Access Bank stands out; not simply because it funded an event, but because it recognised the power of an idea long before it became a movement.

In an era where Africa’s future competitiveness will depend increasingly on innovation, digital skills and scientific capability, that early investment may ultimately prove to be one of the bank’s most enduring contributions to the continent.