Payment technology company, Unified Payments Services Limited, has launched its talent incubation initiative, UP Academy, with the admission of 25 interns from across the country.
Unified Payments released a statement on Tuesday announcing the launch of the Academy, which is said to be the first of its kind in Nigeria’s fintech industry.
It stated that the academy’s objective was to train and develop top-tier professionals who could address the talent gap currently affecting the rapidly growing industry.
The firm noted that the academy represented its commitment to nurturing talent and driving innovation in Nigeria’s fintech landscape.
According to Unified Payments Services, selected from a pool of over 2,000 applicants, the first cohort of 25 talented individuals represent a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences, united by their passion to drive technological evolution and solve complex problems through financial technology.
“They will undergo a six-week intensive training programme led by industry experts, followed by two years of hands-on experience and real-world opportunities,” it stated.
Welcoming the interns to the academy, the Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Unified Payments, Dr Agada Apochi, remarked that the academy was structured to serve not just Unified Payments as a company, but to train experts for the payment industry in Nigeria, Africa, and the world.
“As Nigeria’s premier payment technology company, Unified Payments is proud to lead the charge in identifying and grooming the next generation of fintech talents,” he declared.
He further spoke to the increasing demand for experienced professionals within the industry, affirming that the quality of education and experience that the interns would be exposed to at the academy would equip them to deliver value in any organisation they find themselves.
Encouraging the interns to envision a bright future, he shared his experience, particularly speaking to his career journey, which has seen him grow from a contract staff at a bank to leading Nigeria’s foremost payment technology company.
In her keynote address, Director of Corporate Services, Mrs Vivian Okolo, reiterated the organisation’s commitment to excellence and encouraged the interns to fully immerse themselves in the Unified Payments ecosystem.
Okolo highlighted Unified Payments’ position as a pioneer within the sector, with unrivalled expressions like Payattitude, Payarena, Hope PSBank, and UP Digital, underscoring the interns’ opportunity to contribute to groundbreaking innovations in the fintech industry.
Also speaking at the event, the Group Head of Human Resources of the organisation, Mrs Chioma Akaniro, charged the interns to make the most of their time at the academy by adopting and implementing the habits of highly effective people.
