Sterling Bank pioneers work-study for secondary school leavers, offers a 65% scholarship

In a continued effort to secure a knowledge-based future that is diverse, Nigeria’s Sterling Bank Plc has recently launched the “Grow With Sterling Initiative”. The initiative which finds its roots in one aspect of the Sterling HEART Sectors- Education, seeks to contribute to the educational development of young Secondary School Leavers.

Understanding that an investment in knowledge pays the best interests, the bank recently signed an agreement with Washington DC-based Nexford University by sponsoring secondary school leavers in Nigeria to earn international undergraduate degrees under a maximum duration of three years. To also gain hands-on expertise, they will be concurrently engaged by Sterling Bank to serve in specific capacities in a work-study arrangement.

According to a statement made available by Temi Dalley, chief human resources officer of Sterling Bank PLC, the program is part of the Bank’s new-to-the-world opportunities for young Nigerians to get access to quality and affordable education while gaining cognate work experience.

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The statement further noted that the financial institution will pay not less than sixty-five percent tuition fee of the learners admitted into the program, marking a significant investment in the education of young Nigerians.

In the statement, Dalley was quoted as saying, ‘Grow with Sterling’ initiative is a co-branded social impact program that will enable Nigerian secondary school leavers to further their education under a unique partnership arrangement with the Bank as the financier and Nexford University as the learning provider.”

Listing other benefits, Dalley added that learners will get complimentary access to 20 percent tuition discount, free enrolment on online learning platforms amongst other things.

Hope Moses-Ashike

Hope Moses-Ashike is an Associate Editor, Banking and Finance, with more than a decade of experience reporting on Nigeria’s financial system and broader economy. She closely tracks market movements, monetary policy decisions, company disclosures, regulatory actions, economic indicators, and global developments, and interprets what they mean for businesses, investors, policymakers, and households. Her reporting helps readers understand complex issues such as inflation trends, foreign exchange market dynamics, interest rate decisions, bank performance, and investment risks. She also covers major international events and periodically travels to Washington, D.C., to report on the World Bank/IMF Spring and Annual Meetings. Her dedication to financial journalism has earned her multiple recognitions and invitations to high-level professional development programmes. She is an alumna of the International Visitors Leadership Programme (IVLP) in the United States and holds an Advanced Financial Journalism Certificate from the Press Association Training in London, UK. Her other notable achievements include completing the Lagos Business School CMC Programme, the Bloomberg Media Africa Initiative Programme, and a Master Class in Journalism at Rhodes University in South Africa.