From Savings Challenges To Global Reach, Smart Stewards Celebrates A Decade Of Financial Empowerment

Sola Adesakin (fourth right) and some of her team at the summit.

The Prayer Dome of KICC Mary­land was full to the brim when the Smart Stewards Summit marked its 10th edition in Lagos.

Smart Stewards is a financial empow­erment platform committed to helping individuals and businesses achieve fi­nancial freedom. Through education, resources, and community support, it equip individuals with the knowledge to make, manage, and multiply money effectively.

The atmosphere was charged with re­flection, celebration, and renewed com­mitment to building financially literate communities. What began a decade ago as a vision to empower individuals with the tools to manage money wisely has grown into a movement spanning over 50 countries.

The milestone offered a chance not just to celebrate, but also to reflect on les­sons learned and strategies for creating a financially independent generation.

Sola Adesakin, the Convener and Lead Coach while speaking at the summit with the theme; ‘TENacity: Together, Em­powered, Now (Fostering Personal and Collective Prosperity)’ which brought together students, youths, financial ex­perts among others set the tone for the summit by stressing the importance of intentionality.

In her words, success is rarely acci­dental. “If you don’t choose your place, life will place you anywhere. You can’t arrive at places you never decided to go,” she said, urging participants to embrace deliberate choices about their finances and futures.

She underscored the importance of curating the right environment, associ­ations, and habits.

Using the digital age as an example, she pointed out to how people often con­sume more than they create.

“There are producers on Instagram, and there are consumers. They are con­suming your time, your energy, your capacity. If you don’t sell something, somebody will sell you,” she warned, reminding the audience that time is an economic resource.

According to her, over the past decade, Smart Stewards has not only taught fi­nancial literacy but also built a vibrant community of crusaders and coaches.

“We didn’t just teach financial litera­cy; we built a community.”

For many participants, that commu­nity is the real wealth, an ecosystem of accountability, encouragement, and shared growth.

She recalled the group’s first major savings challenge six years ago, which encouraged members to save N360,000 to buy their first $1,000.

At the time, the naira-dollar exchange rate was considerably lower, but those who participated saw their investments multiply in value amid Nigeria’s curren­cy devaluation.

“Every day you wake up, forces like inflation and devaluation are contend­ing against your ability to build wealth. If you don’t have a financial playbook, you are just rehousing poverty,” she cau­tioned.

She emphasised that the summit was more than just a platform for sharing ideas, that it was a rallying point for ac­tion.

She described it as a “birthing stool where new dreams, ventures, and part­nerships could emerge, learn about entrepreneurship, learn about scaling your career, network, meet somebody and whatever it is start and get the nec­essary collaboration, partnerships, and skill,” she urged.

Speaking further she said that the past decade was about laying a foundation in a society where financial literacy was still a novel idea.

“We were one of the early players in the financial literacy space, and it took a lot of work sensitizing people. Today, we have reached people in over 50 countries, trained for consulates, companies, col­leges, and churches,” she said. Looking ahead, she envisions an even broader reach, emphasizing collaboration and community action.

According to her, “The next decade will be about amplifying reach, promot­ing collaboration, and equipping more people to take action,” she added.

Seyi Abiodun, a Certified Financial Education Instructor, expanded on the critical role knowledge plays in financial decision-making.

In a digital age saturated with infor­mation, he cautioned against relying on social media for investment guidance.

“With every sense of respect, social media is not the best place to get credible information when you want to make an informed decision, like investing your money,” he said.

Abiodun acknowledged the challeng­es posed by Nigeria’s volatile economic environment but argued that opportu­nities remain for those who learn how to navigate it.

“There is a strategy you need to de­ploy to invest correctly. The ‘where’ is as important as the ‘how’,” he explained.

He insisted that financial sustainabil­ity requires two steps: increasing earn­ings and managing money wisely.

“It is not the money that you earn that ultimately makes you rich; it is what you do with the money that you earn,” he said.

“That’s why two people earning the same salary can end up with very dif­ferent realities.”

He pointed out that discipline remains the cornerstone of wealth creation, that while talent and opportunity matter, the real differentiator is how consistently people manage, save, and multiply their resources.

He reminded participants that infla­tion and devaluation, though beyond individual control, do not determine destiny. Instead, the focus should be on what one can control—income, financial discipline, and strategy.

Stanley Onuorah, popularly known as “the online banker,” addressed the younger generation directly.

“Most of the people you see buying houses today started very little. If you stay disciplined, you’ll see yourself grow over time,” he said.

Onuorah encouraged participants to adopt a three-pronged approach: earn, save, and grow. For him, acquiring glob­ally marketable skills is key to unlocking opportunities beyond Nigeria’s borders.

“There are so many skills that can earn you both naira and dollars, yet many young Nigerians are sleeping on them. There are people abroad willing to pay $200 a day for services—that’s lit­tle to them, but it could change your life here,” he said.

He emphasised consistency, particu­larly in saving and investing.

“You can take out 10 percent to tithe, another 10 or 15 percent to save and in­vest. If you do that consistently for 10 to 15 years, you could build over N50 million without realizing how,” he ex­plained.

He noted that the real challenge lies in delayed gratification, that many young people are impatient for wealth, often chasing quick returns through unsus­tainable ventures. “It’s not about blow­ing overnight. It’s about staying con­sistent, acquiring skills, and building gradually,” he said.

The common thread running through the sessions was the reminder that while external forces like inflation and gov­ernment policies shape the economic landscape, individuals still retain the power to decide how to respond. By cul­tivating discipline, acquiring knowledge, and building communities, participants were encouraged to take control of their financial futures.

What began as a small community of learners has evolved into a global net­work of coaches, trainers, and financial­ly empowered individuals. The summit’s legacy is not just in the lessons shared but in the lives transformed over the past decade.

The Smart Stewards Summit’s 10th edition was not simply about celebrating the past but also about setting the stage for the future.

In a world where economic uncertain­ty is a constant, the need for financial literacy and intentional wealth creation has never been greater.

The speakers charged to participants that the next decade belongs to those who choose their path, acquire the right knowledge, and build wealth consistent­ly.