It has been 10 years since Access Private Bank in partnership with the Nigerian polo club Fifth Chukker and UNICEF hosted the first ACCESS Bank Day at Guards Polo Club in the UK. It is an event that combines the best in polo with philanthropy, elegance, and global advocacy to raise funds for the education of children in Nigeria. 

The starting point was a school with 400 pupils. Since then funds from the annual Access Bank Day have built and equipped 60 school blocks, directly impacting the lives of 14,000 children, offering them a path to learning, growth, and opportunity. Funds raised at this year’s Access Bank Day will support the construction of the next phase of another 60 fully equipped school room blocks.

Jamie Simmonds, Managing Director and CEO of The Access Bank UK Ltd, emphasised the strategic significance of the initiative: “This event reflects the essence of The Access Bank UK’s vision, to serve as a bridge between continents, connecting purpose with prosperity. By championing education through this platform, we reinforce our belief that empowering young minds across Africa ultimately shapes a more inclusive and sustainable future for all.”

It is an event which also offers a platform for players from Nigeria and the wider African continent to compete alongside and against some of the sport’s leading professional players. In 2010 Adolfo Cambiaso, regarded by all as the sport’s greatest player, was joined in the competition by his son, Poroto, then just 11 years old. This year his eldest daughter Mia competed alongside her father in the Access Bank team. Making up this quartet was the young, Argentine professional Paco de Narvaez Gonzalez and one of the founders of this remarkable charity day, Adamu Atta. The latter is also the owner of Fifth Chukker, one of Africa’s top polo clubs, located in the Kaduna region of Nigeria.

Access Bank’s opposition in the high-goal Access Bank Trophy was a Fifth Chukker squad featuring the Sujan Indian Tigers patron Jaisal Singh. His team-mates were leading lady player Lia Salvo and Argentine professionals Guillermo Terrera and Tomas Panelo. Both teams delivered a flowing game across four chukkas on the Club’s famous Queen’s Ground. With scores reading 6-6 on the final bell the teams decided to shake hands and call it a draw – a fitting end to a game that was full of camaraderie and friendship. Fifth Chukker’s Jaisal Singh was named the Most Valuable Player after scoring four great goals for his team. His team-mate Tomas Panelo received the Best Playing Pony prize for Lechusa. He was joined in the presentation by Paco de Narvaez Gonzalez, who had been in action for the Access Bank team, as he had bred this remarkable pony.

Access Bank Day 2025 had started with a 15-goal match for the Khalifa Trophy. This was won by Mangal Cement. They beat Malcomines 4-3 in another close contest at Guards Polo Club. Deenay Mangal, wearing the number one shirt for Mangal Cement, not only received the trophy but was also named the Most Valuable Player.

This annual charity event has become a hallmark of Access Bank’s enduring commitment to sustainable community development, particularly in inclusive education. According to Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, Chairman of Access Holdings, “We have used polo at Guards Polo Club as a platform that unites global changemakers around one common cause, investing in the future of Africa through education. The partnership with Fifth Chukker and UNICEF is symbolic and transformative.”

In collaboration with UNICEF, funds raised at this year’s event will also go towards the long-term educational needs of children and the communities in rural Nigeria.

Roosevelt Ogbonna, Group Managing Director/ CEO of Access Bank Plc, added: “At Access Bank, we believe education is a fundamental right. By aligning our brand with this purpose, we are proud to demonstrate that financial success and social impact can and must go hand in hand. The Access Bank UK Charity Polo Day stands as a compelling example of how corporate leadership, global partnerships, and empathy can co-exist to drive meaningful, lasting change, from Kaduna to the UK, and beyond.”

Images copyright Images of Polo