By Mahdi Waziri Isa
Fintech giant OPay has launched a major ₦60 million scholarship initiative for students of Bayero University Kano (BUK), aimed at reducing financial barriers and encouraging academic achievement.
The ten-year programme, formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding signed on Tuesday, September 9, 2025, will provide ₦300,000 each to 20 BUK students annually. The initiative resulted from collaborative efforts between the University’s Students’ Union Government, led by President Abdullahi Usman Baba, and the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS).
Vice-Chancellor Professor Haruna Musa, who signed the MoU on behalf of the university, praised OPay for including BUK in the initiative. “This scholarship will go a long way in boosting the morale of our students. I urge the beneficiaries to use this opportunity wisely and OPay to sustain this generous gesture,” he said.
Mr. Itoro Udo, OPay’s Corporate Social Responsibility Manager, emphasized the company’s commitment to supporting education. He noted that OPay—which has over 16 million active users in Nigeria—selected BUK as one of 20 universities to benefit from the nationwide scholarship scheme.
Professor Shamsuddeen Umar, Dean of Students’ Affairs, welcomed the intervention as “timely and highly impactful,” highlighting the significant financial difficulties many students encounter while pursuing their degrees.