Sterling Bank Backs Lagos Schools Debate Competition, Reinforces Commitment to Youth Development

Sterling Bank has reaffirmed its dedication to fostering globally competitive Nigerian talent by sponsoring the 2026 Lagos Schools Debate Competition (LSDC). This three-day intellectual contest brought together students from various schools across Lagos State to hone their critical thinking, communication, and leadership abilities.

The competition, recently concluded at the British International Junior School on Victoria Island, was a collaboration between DebateChamps and the Harvard Debate Council. It featured 19 junior and senior secondary schools, with participants engaging in the junior world schools debate format. This format required students to develop arguments spontaneously, as debate motions were released only 30 minutes before each round, testing their intellectual agility and ability to argue under pressure.

Sterling Bank's involvement in the LSDC is a direct reflection of its HEART strategy, which prioritizes growth in key sectors vital for national development, including Health, Education, Agriculture, Renewable Energy, and Transportation. The bank views education and the development of critical thinking skills among young people as fundamental to Nigeria's future competitiveness on the global stage.

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The skills we watched these students sharpen over three days; critical thinking, structured argumentation and the courage to speak under pressure, are the same skills that will determine whether Nigeria competes or merely participates in the global economy of the next decade.

Donatus Okpako, Chief Marketing Officer of Sterling Bank, stated that the skills demonstrated by the students, critical thinking, structured argumentation, and public speaking under pressure, are precisely those that will determine Nigeria's success in the global economy. He emphasized that platforms like the LSDC represent a compounding investment in the nation's future.

Peju Ibekwe, CEO of Sterling One Foundation, further highlighted the importance of equitable access to quality intellectual opportunities for all students, regardless of their socioeconomic background. She stressed that building a robust educational ecosystem necessitates strategic partnerships and sustained investment in programs that cultivate intellectual curiosity and analytical thinking among Nigerian youth. The foundation's support for the LSDC is driven by the need to democratize access to high-level intellectual engagement, moving beyond rote learning to foster genuine intellectual curiosity and structured thinking.

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Our involvement in the LSDC is driven by the urgent need to democratize access to high-level intellectual opportunities for students across all socio-economic backgrounds. Building a resilient educational ecosystem requires deliberate partnerships, and the Sterling One Foundation is proud to support a platform that goes beyond rote learning to foster genuine intellectual curiosity and structured thinking among Nigerian.