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By Linda Ogbonna
Nimbus Aid Foundation, in collaboration with Sycamore Capital, has called for early financial education for teenage girls to promote financial independence and entrepreneurship.
They made the call at EQUIP HER 2026, an initiative organised by Nimbus Aid Foundation, Sycamore Capital and Dansol High School to mark the International Day of the Girl Child on Saturday in Lagos.
The programme brought together schoolgirls to learn practical skills in saving, budgeting, investing and converting their talents into business opportunities.
Mr Edward Israel-Ayide, a trustee and Director of Communications of Nimbus Aid Foundation, said the initiative was designed to equip girls with knowledge for sound financial decisions and economic participation.
Israel-Ayide said the foundation had spent about five years supporting female entrepreneurs but decided to extend its interventions to younger girls to prepare them for future opportunities.
He said the programme would be extended to more schools across Nigeria to promote financial literacy and entrepreneurship among girls.
“We felt it was important not just to celebrate the girl child but also to equip them with very important skills and lessons where they can learn to save money,” he said.
Israel-Ayide said the initiative would encourage girls to identify their talents and develop them into business opportunities in writing, fashion design, acting and other creative fields.
He added that the organisers hoped to sustain the programme and reach more girls through partnerships with other organisations.
Also speaking, the Finance Operations Lead at Sycamore Capital, Miss Eniolaoluwa Oluwole, said financial literacy should go beyond understanding financial terms to managing money in everyday life.
Oluwole said teenage girls needed to learn budgeting, saving and responsible financial decision-making rather than depend on others to meet their needs.
According to her, women can achieve financial success by understanding how money worked and managing their resources effectively.
She said Sycamore Capital was also supporting female entrepreneurs through access to loans, credit, financial advice and other resources.
Oluwole said financial education should be accompanied by opportunities for women to develop their businesses and achieve economic independence.
The guest speaker, Miss Darasimi Nadi, an award-winning Nollywood actress, fashion designer and content creator, said saving money could help young people become more financially responsible as they grew older.
She said girls with limited resources could start small businesses by collaborating and combining their skills.
“If your friends know how to make beads or something crafty, you can partner with them and sell the products,” she said.
Nadi advised girls to support one another and embrace collaboration rather than see themselves as competitors.
A student of Dansol High School, Miss Christine Azuru, an SS3 student, said the programme had helped her understand the importance of preparing financially for the future.
She said the lessons would help her manage money better and make decisions that would benefit her future.
Similarly, another participant, Miss Anuoluwa Onosile, said she had learnt the importance of financial discipline, entrepreneurship and preparing for the future.
She said she intended to apply the lessons to improve her circumstances and build a better future.
Mr Wale Adegoke, an entrepreneur in the media industry and representative of the organising foundation, said the initiative was informed by challenges facing women-owned businesses.
Adegoke said the foundation had supported more than 40 businesses and discovered that many needed not only publicity but also training, resources and growth opportunities.
He said EQUIP HER was introduced to extend the foundation’s work to younger girls and equip them with skills for financial independence.
Adegoke said the programme would become an annual event and expand to other schools, including those outside Lagos.
According to him, empowering girls with financial knowledge and entrepreneurial skills will benefit individuals, families and the Nigerian economy.
He appreciated the partners for supporting the initiative and called for more partnerships and sponsorship from private organisations to sustain the programme.(NAN)
Edited by Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma
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