Wema Bank has announced the final deadline for submissions into its One-Day MD/CEO Children’s Day initiative, giving Nigerian children and teenagers another opportunity to lead the financial institution for a day as part of its youth empowerment campaign.
The bank disclosed that entries for the competition will officially close on May 20, 2026, urging interested participants and parents to complete their submissions before the deadline expires.
Originally introduced in 2025 during Wema Bank’s 80th anniversary celebrations, the initiative was designed to inspire leadership, innovation, and ambition among young Nigerians by allowing a selected child to experience the responsibilities of a bank chief executive officer firsthand.
Brandspur Banking News reports that the programme forms part of Wema Bank’s broader strategy to encourage youth development and strengthen future leadership capacity through experiential learning opportunities targeted at children and teenagers nationwide.
The winner of the initiative will assume the role of Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the bank for one day during the Children’s Day celebration scheduled for May 25, 2026.
According to the bank, eligible participants between the ages of zero and 16 are expected to create and post a 60-second video on social media explaining their dream role within the banking industry and how they hope to make an impact through leadership and innovation.
Entries must include the hashtag #EvolutionOfPossibilities and tag Wema Bank’s official social media accounts, while the participant with the highest engagement is expected to emerge as the winner of the competition.
The inaugural edition of the programme gained national attention after 12-year-old Chiderije Mbah emerged as the first One-Day MD/CEO, with the initiative receiving widespread praise from parents, educators, and youth advocates for promoting leadership aspirations among Nigerian children.
Wema Bank stated that the selected winner will participate in executive-level activities, including strategic meetings and leadership engagements, while gaining practical exposure to the operations of the bank and its digital banking platform, ALAT.
Industry observers say youth-focused initiatives by financial institutions are increasingly becoming part of broader corporate strategies aimed at promoting financial literacy, leadership development, and long-term talent cultivation among Nigeria’s younger population.
