At Access Bank UK Polo Day, education in Nigeria’s underserved communities takes lead. Recently, Adamu Atta, founder of Fifth Chukker was in action for the Access Bank team in a match for the Access Bank Trophy. Playing alongside Adamu on The Queen’s Ground at Guards Polo Club were the legendary polo superstar Adolfo Cambiaso and his eldest daughter Mia.

Making up this impressive quartet on Access Bank UK Charity Polo Day 2025, an annual event hosted in partnership with Fifth Chukker and UNICEF was the 17-year-old Argentine talent Paco de Narvaez Gonzalez.

The initiative has evolved from a sporting showcase into a global platform for philanthropy and social advocacy, focused especially on bridging the educational divide in Nigeria’s underserved communities.

Adamu and Adolfo are old friends and Adolfo has regularly played on Access Bank Day, a remarkable charity polo event which was co-founded by Adamu some 15 years ago. As Adolfo said in his post-match interview: “Adamu is a good friend and it’s nice to help people by doing what you love. For me coming to play some chukkas and help someone else is a happy day. The kids won today this is for charity and the important part of today is that we are doing something great.”

Something great is what they did do. The 2025 Access Bank Day raised enough funds to enable UNICEF, a major partner with Access Bank and Fifth Chukker in a long-term education project in the Kaduna region of Nigeria, to build an additional 60 fully equipped school room blocks. Since the event started Access Bank Day has been able to offer education to some 14,000 children aged from six to 15 who otherwise would have no access to education.

This year’s edition of the Polo Day sets an even more ambitious target: to build additional classroom blocks, effectively multiplying the impact and ensuring that even more children, especially girls and those from marginalised communities, are given the opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive.

The event’s underlying philosophy is simple but bold: Education changes everything. It is the single most effective weapon against poverty, inequality, and ignorance. And through the lens of this initiative, education is portrayed not as a luxury to be earned but as a birthright to be honoured.

CEO of Access Bank UK, Jamie Simmonds, captured this sentiment in his address at the event. “This is more than a spectacle,” he said. “This is a bridge between continents, between privilege and purpose. Every time the ball moves across this polo field, we are moving a child closer to their future.”

Chairman of Access Holdings PLC and one of the visionaries behind this project, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, emphasised the importance of building legacy. “What we are doing here today is beyond charity. It is a deliberate investment in the future of Africa because when we educate children, we equip them to shape their communities, their countries, and the world.”

Group Managing Director/CEO of Access Bank, Roosevelt Ogbonna, reaffirmed the Bank’s commitment to long-term transformation, stressing that education is not optional, it is foundational. “We believe that sustainable leadership in business must be matched by social responsibility. That is why we continue to invest in initiatives like this, that have the power to transform not just lives, but entire communities.”

Supporting these efforts is UNICEF, the world’s leading child rights agency. Their role is critical, not just as a beneficiary of the funds raised, but as a strategic partner ensuring that every naira and pound donated translates into bricks, books, and brighter futures. With UNICEF’s involvement, the project is governed by rigorous accountability, local engagement, and sustainable delivery models tailored to the real needs of the children and communities it serves.

As the final match drew to a close, the applause was not only for the players but for the cause. In that moment, the glamour of polo gave way to the gravity of purpose. From London to Lagos, Windsor to Kaduna, the message rang loud and clear: education must be accessible to all. It is the foundation upon which dignity is built, prosperity is achieved, and peace is sustained.

Access Bank’s UK Polo Day 2025 did more than raise funds: it raised consciousness. It reminded us that access requires effort, but the cost of exclusion is far greater. It proved that when vision meets action, and privilege meets purpose, the result is lasting impact, because in the end, a classroom is not just four walls, it is a launchpad for dreams. And every child deserves a seat.

Access Bank stands as the charitable highlight in the month of July, leading in its iconic move and drive to ensuring that education is accessible and deserving for every child.