First City Monument Bank (FCMB) backed and took part in the 2026 Peak Performer Emerging Leaders’ Summit, where 1,000 National Youth Service Corps members received practical guidance on careers, enterprise, money management and leadership.
Summit focused on turning potential into progress
Dr Abiola Salami convened the event, which The Peak Performer Africa organised on August 19 at Solution Arena in Lagos. Under the theme “I Move with G.R.I.T. – From Potential to Performance,” the programme’s central training sessions addressed the capabilities young graduates need to convert academic promise into career advancement.
The discussions covered workplace readiness, financial self-control, adaptability and the ability to execute plans. Participants worked through five development tracks:
- Get Hired: understanding employer expectations and preparing for work;
- Get Digital: building digital capabilities, including knowledge of artificial intelligence;
- Get Financially Strong: managing personal finances responsibly;
- Build Something: exploring entrepreneurship and the creation of ventures;
- Create Impact: applying leadership and problem-solving skills to community needs.
Salami, who founded The Peak Performer Africa and led the summit, said the initiative aimed to help young people turn ability into results that could be measured. He described potential as only the beginning, saying participants needed the right mindset, competence and discipline to act purposefully and demonstrate progress. The lasting test of the programme, he added, would be what attendees implemented after the event.
FCMB brings financial guidance to young graduates
Olajire Awofisibe, FCMB’s Group Head of Retail Asset Products, represented the bank in a discussion with professionals and business leaders on entering the workforce, standing out professionally and building long-term careers.
He also taught in the “Get Financially Strong” laboratory. The session examined the practical issues that often arise when people receive their first income, including:
- creating and following a budget;
- building savings;
- borrowing responsibly;
- understanding credit; and
- making sound choices when beginning to earn.
Awofisibe said the move from national service into employment or business ownership brings significant financial responsibilities. A salary by itself, he explained, does not guarantee security; consistent budgeting, saving, careful use of credit and forward planning are more important determinants.
He added that borrowing can support worthwhile objectives when managed properly, but can become a liability if it pays for consumption without a defined repayment strategy. Establishing healthy money practices from the first paycheque, he said, gives young people a firmer base for the years ahead.
Entertainment and 30-day action programme
The gathering combined panel conversations and hands-on workshops with music, comedy and audience participation. Victory Gbakara, winner of Nigerian Idol, and Precious Mac, the show’s first runner-up, spoke about the preparation, discipline and bravery required to develop talent into actual performance.
After the summit, attendees started a 30-Day MOVE Challenge designed to turn the lessons into practical outcomes. Participants formed teams, created initiatives linked to the five pathways, selected beneficiaries and set milestones before submitting their plans for assessment.
Each person also pledged to carry out and record one defined action during the 30-day period.
Programme background and FCMB’s role
FCMB’s support formed part of the bank’s broader effort to strengthen financial literacy and workplace capabilities among young Nigerians. The 2026 gathering followed the 2025 edition, which drew more than 500 corps members.
FCMB offers personal, business and corporate banking products throughout Nigeria. Its financial services are intended to help individuals and companies pursue their objectives with greater confidence, while expressing the “My Bank & I” proposition and supporting inclusive, sustainable development in the communities where it operates.
