Nigeria’s Education Gets Major Boost as Dangote Unveils ₦1 Trillion Scholarship Programme
The Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, has launched the Aliko Dangote Foundation Education Scholarship Initiative with a renewed call for national commitment to ensuring every Nigerian child has the opportunity to reach their full potential.
At the event held on Thursday in Lagos, the President of the Foundation, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, unveiled a ₦100 billion annual education support programme designed to strengthen Nigeria’s education sector and expand access to quality learning nationwide. The programme will cost ₦1 trillion over the next decade.
Senator Shettima praised Dangote’s “visionary and generational” philanthropy, noting that only those who understand the transformative power of education willingly carry its burden.
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He urged the private sector to view themselves as co-owners of Nigeria’s education future, stressing that the country cannot afford to ignore the realities of a rapidly growing youthful population.
“A youthful population is a global asset only when it is educated. Without education, it becomes a threat to itself and the nation,” he warned.
The Vice President also reflected on Nigeria’s historical suspicion of formal education and emphasized the need for deliberate action to close the gap created by decades of misunderstanding.
He highlighted President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s reforms—including NELFUND, UBEC strengthening, expanded TETFUND interventions, revamped TVET programmes, and mainstreamed digital learning—as strategic steps to rebuild national human capital.
Nigeria, he said, must treat education “as a survival strategy,” especially as West Africa continues to rank lowest on the global Human Capital Index.
Dangote, in his remarks, assured that the scholarship programme would be transparent and merit-based. He announced new partnerships with NELFUND, WAEC, NECO, and other agencies to ensure accountability, adding that he has committed 25% of his personal wealth to the foundation—an endowment that will extend beyond his lifetime.
Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, described the initiative as one of the most comprehensive human capital interventions in Nigeria’s history, with 25% of scholarship slots earmarked for persons living with disabilities.
UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed commended the programme, particularly its emphasis on TVET and girls’ education, which she said remain powerful drivers of societal progress.
Representing the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu lauded Dangote’s commitment, noting that states will partner closely to ensure the initiative succeeds. Lagos, he said, already allocates 10% of its annual budget to education.
The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, and the Emir of Lafia, Justice Sidi Bage (rtd), also praised the effort, with the emir reaffirming the steering committee’s dedication to achieving long-term national impact.
The event concluded with the unveiling of the Dangote Foundation Vision 2030 “₦100 Billion Annual Commitment” logo.
Nigeria’s Education Gets Major Boost as Dangote Unveils ₦1 Trillion Scholarship Programme