Expand Finance Education, Lagos Accountant-General Appeals to ACCA 

In a significant move to broaden the scope of finance education in Nigeria, Lagos Accountant-General Abiodun Muritala has made an appeal to the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA). His request, aimed at the ACCA, is to extend the reach of their finance competitions to include public secondary schools, a sector often overlooked in such initiatives.

The call of the accountant-general came during a conversation with BusinessDay at the ACCA Secondary School Finance Competition (SSFC) 2023’s nationwide finale in Lagos. The competition, which witnessed participation from Loyola Jesuit College from the north, Trinitate International School from the south, and Rainbow College from the west, serves as a platform to nurture young finance talent.

Reflecting on his own educational journey, the Lagos Accountant-General, who is an alumnus of a public school, emphasized the potential hidden within these institutions. “I attended a public school and today, I’m the accountant general of Lagos. It shows that there are great pupils in the public school, please bring them on board, I’m sure they will be able to compete with these fantastic students,” he urged.

Muritala commended ACCA for organizing the competition, labeling it as the “right investment” with the assurance of fruitful returns. The competition, which ran from November 4 to 18, 2023, in Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt, featured 10 schools from each zone. Loyola Jesuit College emerged as the national winner, securing a prize of N2 million and a capacity-building session for their school’s staff. The first and second runners-up, Trinitate International School and Rainbow College received N1 million and N500,000 respectively.

The significance of the event was further highlighted by Olubukola Adewuyi, chair of the Secondary School Finance Competition Advisory Committee. Adewuyi pointed out that the winners would receive not only cash prizes and plaques but also a one-month internship opportunity with an ACCA-approved employer, underscoring the real-world applications and opportunities tied to this competition.

ACCA’s role in this context cannot be overstated. As a leading global accountancy body with a presence in 181 countries and a community of over 247,000 members and 526,000 future members, their initiatives are pivotal in shaping future financial leaders. Their commitment to integrity, inclusion, and innovation aligns with the need for a broader, more inclusive approach to finance education.

By integrating public secondary schools into such competitions, ACCA can significantly contribute to fostering financial literacy and professional development among a wider demographic of students. Such an expansion would not only democratize access to high-quality finance education but also potentially unearth and nurture talent from diverse backgrounds, further enriching the finance sector in Nigeria and beyond. 

Muritala’s advocacy for this inclusion reflects a forward-thinking approach, recognizing the untapped potential within public schools and the broader implications of such educational initiatives for societal advancement.