Access Bank And King’s Trust Intl Sign Strategic Partnership

Sets to Scale Youth Enterprise and Employment Across Africa

Access Bank and King’s Trust International have signed a strategic partnership to scale youth enterprise and employment across Africa.

NewsRain Nigeria reports that the formalisation of a strategic partnership between Access Bank Plc and King’s Trust International signals a deeper shift in how private capital and development expertise are being aligned to address Africa’s structural employment challenge. Beyond its philanthropic framing, the collaboration reflects a deliberate move toward embedding youth enterprise within the broader architecture of inclusive growth, where skills development, access to opportunity, and financial intermediation converge.

The agreement, signed by Roosevelt Ogbonna and Will Straw CBE, brings together King’s Trust International’s programme delivery expertise with Access Bank’s continental footprint spanning 25 countries and more than 60 million customers. The transaction carries weight beyond its institutional symbolism.

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Africa’s demographic trajectory places youth economic inclusion among the most consequential structural challenges facing the continent’s policymakers and private sector alike, and interventions that connect financial infrastructure with skills delivery represent a more durable model than either actor could sustain independently.

By combining Access Bank’s continental scale with King’s Trust International’s programmatic experience, the initiative introduces a more coordinated model for workforce readiness and support for entrepreneurship.

For investors monitoring Access Holdings Plc, the partnership reinforces the group’s strategic positioning at the intersection of inclusive finance, brand equity, and long-term continental relevance.

Access Bank Plc and King’s Trust International (KTI) have formally signed a strategic partnership agreement to expand opportunity, entrepreneurship, and sustainable livelihoods for young people across Africa.

The partnership agreement was signed by Roosevelt Ogbonna, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Access Bank Plc, for Access Bank, and Will Straw, CBE, Chief Executive Officer of King’s Trust International, on behalf of KTI.

The signing ceremony was witnessed by senior leaders and representatives from both organisations, alongside distinguished guests including Aigboje Aig‑Imoukhuede, CFR, Co-Chair, King’s Trust International Africa Advisory Board and Chairman, Access Holdings Plc; Ofovwe Aig‑Imoukhuede, Co‑Chair, King’s Trust International Africa Advisory Board, and Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

The partnership brings together King’s Trust International’s expertise in youth development with Access Bank’s pan‑African reach and long‑standing commitment to inclusive and sustainable growth. Through this collaboration, the two organisations will work to equip young people with the skills, confidence, and support needed to build successful futures through employment and entrepreneurship.

Under the agreement, Access Bank will support the delivery of King’s Trust International programmes that empower young people across several African countries, supporting them to gain skills and find pathways into meaningful employment and self-employment across Africa.

Speaking at the signing, Will Straw CBE, Chief Executive Officer of King’s Trust International, said: “This partnership with Access Bank reflects a shared commitment to unlocking the potential of young people across Africa. By combining our experience in youth development with Access Bank’s scale and leadership across the continent, we can create meaningful pathways to opportunity and long‑term impact.”

Roosevelt Ogbonna, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Access Bank, added: “At Access Bank, we believe that empowering young people is fundamental to Africa’s sustainable growth. Our partnership with King’s Trust International reinforces our commitment to entrepreneurship, job creation and inclusive development, while enabling us to play a purposeful role in shaping the continent’s future.”

The partnership marks a significant milestone in advancing cross‑sector collaboration to address youth unemployment, foster entrepreneurship, and drive inclusive growth across Africa.