FUOYE student triumphs EY young tax professional title

Korede Titiloye, a 400-level Accounting student at the Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), has been named the winner of the EY Young Tax Professional of the Year (YTPY) 2025, earning national recognition for his exceptional analytical and problem-solving abilities.

Korede impressed judges with his technical expertise, creativity, and clarity in addressing complex global business challenges.

Speaking at the award ceremony at EY’s Lagos office, Akeem Ogunseni, EY partner and programme coordinator, revealed that the 2025 edition attracted 585 applications from over 40 higher institutions nationwide.

After a rigorous multi-stage process, 374 candidates advanced from the preliminary stage, undergoing psychometric tests, written submissions on topical business issues, and virtual presentations.

Ogunseni explained that at the semi-final stage, candidates tackled a complex case study requiring deep research and strategic recommendations across diverse business domains.

The top 10 finalists then presented their solutions to a distinguished panel of judges at the grand finale.

Temitope Samagbeyi, EY Tax Partner, encouraged the finalists, highlighting that reaching the top 10 out of 585 applicants was a remarkable achievement and urged them to continue working hard to realize their full potential.

A visibly thrilled Korede expressed gratitude for the recognition, noting that his journey involved resilience and self-study after initially failing taxation.

“I feel very fulfilled and grateful to God.

“I also extend my thanks to EY for this platform and to all the finalists for raising the bar,” he said.

The EY YTPY programme is a global initiative aimed at identifying and nurturing exceptional talent among undergraduates in their penultimate and final years, as well as young professionals with less than a year’s experience at EY.

It provides a platform for participants to showcase technical knowledge, analytical skills, and innovative thinking.

As this year’s overall winner, Korede will represent EY Nigeria at the global level and gain mentorship, internship opportunities with EY Tax, exclusive networking sessions, and other benefits.

Runners-up and finalists will also receive internships, certificates, and access to career development resources.