Access Bank’s Elite Polo Day Blends Glamour and Purpose, Raises Funds for 60 New Classrooms in Kaduna

Windsor, UK | July 12, 2025 – Beneath the pristine blue skies of the Guards Polo Club in Windsor, a different kind of power play unfolded—not just in the sport, but in purpose. The 10th Annual Access Bank UK Charity Polo Day brought together some of Nigeria’s most influential high-net-worth individuals and global changemakers for an event that elegantly merged luxury with legacy.

The event—an enduring tradition of polo-meets-philanthropy—saw the presence of Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, Chairman of Access Holdings Plc; Bolaji Agbede, Acting Group CEO; Roosevelt Ogbonna, CEO of Access Bank; and Jamie Simmonds, MD of Access Bank UK, among other business leaders. But this wasn’t just a social outing—it was a show of corporate resolve to back transformative education initiatives in Africa.

“We believe that sustainable leadership in business must be matched by social responsibility,” said Ogbonna, speaking against a backdrop of clinking champagne glasses and cheering polo fans. “This day is not about sport alone—it’s about our mission to uplift.”

Through longstanding partnerships with Fifth Chukker and UNICEF, Access Bank has over the past decade built 60 fully equipped classrooms impacting over 14,000 children in Kaduna State. This year, funds raised will kickstart the construction of an additional 60 classrooms—doubling the initiative’s reach.

Aig-Imoukhuede highlighted the event’s strategic intent: “We have used polo at Guards as a platform that unites global changemakers around one common cause—investing in the future of Africa through education.”

Agbede echoed the long-term vision: “If we can build an ecosystem supporting children from basic education into economic empowerment, we are shaping entire communities.”

For Jamie Simmonds, the day exemplified Access Bank’s international bridge-building. “This event reflects our vision to connect purpose with prosperity across continents. Education is not just a charitable gesture—it is a strategic investment.”

From a single school of 400 students to a network now reaching over 14,000 children, the Access Bank polo initiative exemplifies how elite gatherings can move beyond spectacle into genuine impact.