EDMONTON, Alberta—An Edmonton engineer and father of two has won the $1 million grand prize in Servus Credit Union’s 2026 Big Share contest after increasing his savings during the contest period, the credit union said.
Servus Credit Union said Ibukun Sobukunola will receive a $1 million deposit as the winner of the eighth annual contest, which encourages members to build savings and investment balances. Between Jan. 1 and April 30, members earned entries into the drawing for every $500 increase in their savings and investment accounts.
According to Servus, the contest generated more than $487 million in collective savings growth among its approximately 600,000 members across Alberta.
Sobukunola, who has been a member of Servus since 2017, moved additional savings from another financial institution to the credit union during the contest period, earning entries that ultimately led to the winning draw.
‘God’s Grace’
“Some would call it luck. We call it God’s grace. It feels like heaven smiled down on us,” Sobukunola said in a statement released by the credit union.
Sobukunola and his wife, Yetunde, moved from Nigeria to Canada in 2016 and have since established their family in Edmonton. He said the prize will help provide financial security while allowing the family to pursue goals that include a long-planned trip to Japan.
He also credited the relationship he built with a Servus financial advisor for influencing his decision to move his savings to the credit union.
‘Felt Very Personal’
“The service felt very personal,” Sobukunola said. “Our advisor went above and beyond to help us find the best options for our family and always put our interests first.”
Servus President and CEO Ian Burns said the contest is designed to promote healthy savings habits among members.
“The Servus Big Share is about more than a prize. It’s about encouraging Albertans to build healthy savings habits and helping them achieve their financial goals,” Burns said in a statement.
Largst Payout in History
The Big Share contest is part of Servus’ broader Profit Share program, through which the credit union returns a portion of its earnings to members. Servus said it distributed more than $83 million to members through the program in 2025, which it said was the largest annual profit-sharing payout by a Canadian credit union that year.
Since launching Profit Share in 2009, the credit union said it has returned more than $943 million to members through cash rewards and dividends.
Servus Credit Union provides financial services to more than 600,000 members across Alberta.
