The Group President and Chief Executive of Dangote Industries Limited, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, on Thursday, in Lagos, launched education scholarship funds of N1 trillion, targeting 1.3 million learners as beneficiaries across the country.
The intervention fund tagged “Aliko Dangote Foundation Education Initiatives “is regarded as one of the most ambitious privately funded education programmes in Nigeria’s history, expecting in the long run to run across generations.
Speaking at the launch, Dangote described the intervention as a significant turning point for Nigeria’s education, noting that the foundation has been investing in health, nutrition, empowerment and humanitarian support across the country in the last 30 years.
He underscored the importance of education, saying “no nation can rise above the quality of education it offers its young people.”
According to him, education is not only the foundation on which every prosperous society is built but also the most powerful equaliser and strongest engine of social mobility and the clearest pathway to national development.
Dangote observed that “today, too many brilliant Nigerian students are being pushed out of school by financial hardship, and that their dreams are stalled not because they lack talent or motivation, but because they lack necessary support.
“So, we cannot allow financial hardship to silence the dreams of our young people — not when the future of our nation depends on their skills, resilience and leadership.
He said that was why “the Aliko Dangote Foundation is launching a N100 billion Annual Education Support Initiative, which will cost us over N1 trillion in the next 10 years.
He disclosed that the scheme would commence next year by supporting 45,000 new scholars yearly, reaching no fewer than 1,325,000 students by 10 years’ time across certain educational programmes that include STEM, TVET, girl-child education, as well as teachers’ training.
He explained that under the STEM education, the foundation will support 30,000 undergraduate students annually across Nigeria’s public universities and polytechnics in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics fields.
“Each scholar under this category, he explained, will receive tuition support aligned with the actual fees of their institution and program of study.
He said the foundation is supporting STEM education because “STEM drives development “and that if Nigeria must truly compete globally, young minds must have the tools to learn, imagine and innovate.
He also explained that on TVET, the foundation would provide support for 5,000 young Nigerians who enrolled in public technical and vocational institutions every year.
He said even though tuition is now free in government-owned technical colleges, the foundation would help students in the areas of tools and other essential resources required to complete their training.
He said a skilled workforce is the backbone of any strong economy, and Nigeria must not allow poverty to stand in the way of technical expertise for its citizens.
According to him, a nation that builds cannot prosper without people who know how to build.
The third category, which he named in honour of his daughters — Mariya, Halima and Fatima (MHF), is to promote girl-child education.
On this, he said the foundation would support no fewer than 20,000 public-school girls every year, from JSS1 to SSS3 and up to tertiary education level.
He added that the beneficiaries of this particular programme would receive full support, including uniforms, books and essential learning supplies, even as priority would be given to states with the highest numbers of out-of-school girls in the country.
He declared that “No country moves forward when its girls are left behind.
“So, these programmes target the students who are most vulnerable to dropping out of school, and those whose potential can transform our communities if given a fair chance,” he added
Dangote also mentioned that teachers across the six geopolitical zones would also be captured under the general scheme.
“But we will start with the secondary school teachers in STEM-related subjects in the 39 Government Colleges where our MHF scholars will attend.
“We will start with 10,000 teachers and grow the programme over the years.
However, Dangote explained that the initiative is not just a charity but a strategic investment in Nigeria’s future.
According to him, “Every child we keep in school strengthens our economy, every student we support reduces inequality, and every scholar we empower becomes a future contributor to national development.”
“Our young people are not asking for handouts, but opportunities to learn, to grow, to compete and thrive, and we believe they deserve that chance.
“That is why this initiative is grounded in transparency, inclusiveness and measurable impact.
“We are putting in place a structured and merit-based system that will ensure that support reaches the students who need it most.
“We will track outcomes, not just activities. We will measure success by the number of children who stay in school, complete their education and go on to contribute meaningfully to society.
“We will ensure that our impact is felt across Nigeria by allocating these students to all 774 Local Government Areas.
“Our allocation formula will be based on criteria such as percentage of out-of-school children and number of LGAs.
Speaking further on modalities and smooth operation of the scheme, Dangote said the foundation would work closely with key national institutions such as the National Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Nigerian Universities Commission (NUC), National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and National Examinations Council (NECO), among others.
He said every application would be verified and every disbursement would be digital, and every scholar would be tracked.
He said the overall vision of the programme is to give every deserving child the chance to learn — unfettered by cost, free to dream, and equipped to achieve.
He, however, pointed out that one single organisation, such as Dangote Foundatio,n cannot alone solve Nigeria’s education challenges, hence the need for all hands, including government and communities, to be on deck.
“When we work together, we can transform education in this country — and with it, transform Nigeria’s future,” he stressed.
Dangote noted that the sustainability plan for the programme is that he has dedicated a quarter of his total wealth to the Foundation, and the process to formalise this is at a concluded stage.
The industrialist also disclosed that to guide and oversee the programme, the Foundation has constituted a Steering Committee whose members are people of integrity.
He listed them to include Emir of Lafia, Justice Sidi Dauda Bage, who will serve as chairman; Dr Chris Ogbechie, who is a former Dean, Lagos Business School. who will serve as a Programme Coordinator and Prof Murtala Sagayi, former Dean, Dangote Business School, Bayero University Kano ,as a deputy coordinator.
Other committee members according to him, are Dr. Mohammed Adaya Salisu, Mr. Dennis Oguchukwu Okoro, Professor Ibrahim Garba, Ms. Mariya Aliko Dangote,Ms. Fatima Aliko Dangote,Ms. Halima Aliko Dangote, Alhaji Sayyu Dantata, Mr. Paul Usoro, Mr. Robert Odiachi, Mr. Segun Fowora and Ms. Zouera Youssoufou.
He commended them for offering themselves for the task, saying that with them, the programme will maintain the highest standards of transparency, fairness, and national impact.
In his remarks at the event, Nigeria’s Vice President, Kashim Shettima, lauded Dangote for the initiative and other philanthropic gestures geared towards making life worth living for Nigerians.
He said it is true that any country that fails to educate its citizens with the right knowledge and skills will remain economically poor.
Shettima, however, pointed out that the current administration of President Bola Tinubu is very determined to change the narrative in the country’s education sector to a positive one, hence its various initiatives towards achieving that.
Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).
