By Baba Adamu Isa
A world renowned Nigerian Law Scholar, Professor Muhammad Tawfiq Ladan has hailed Alhaji Aliko Dangote and his foundation for setting aside one Trillion Naira to support education in the country.
Professor Ladan, while commenting on the Aliko Dangote Foundation for launching a massive scholarship initiative of one trillion naira ($688 million) to support education in Nigeria over the next decade, stressed that such exemplary initiative needs to be encouraged given its expected invaluable benefits.
“To get more patriotic Nigerians to emulate Dangote, we need to encourage our domestic investors to do more in social intervention programmes rather than relying on FDI with all the conditionalities”, Professor Ladan opined.
The Dangote initiative aims to support 1.33 million students, focusing on STEM disciplines, girls’ education, and teacher training.
The program will start with 45,000 scholars next year and is expected to benefit students from all 774 Local Government Areas. The foundation will provide tuition support of up to N600,000 per year for 30,000 undergraduates in public universities and polytechnics through the Aliko Dangote STEM Scholars program.
Additionally, 5,000 TVET trainees will receive essential study materials and technical tools through the Aliko Dangote Technical Scholars program. The MHF Dangote Secondary School Girls Scholars program will support 10,000 girls in public schools, providing uniforms, books, and learning supplies.
Professor Ladan praised the initiative, describing it as “pure human capital development” that aligns with the government’s education sector renewal plan.”
Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest person, pledged 25% of his wealth to sustain the program, emphasizing that it’s a strategic investment in Nigeria’s future. “Every child we keep in school strengthens our economy. Every student we support reduces inequality. Every scholar we empower becomes a future contributor to national development,” he said.
The initiative will use a merit-based, fully digital system for verification, disbursement, and monitoring, working with partners like NELFUND, JAMB, NIMC, NUC, NBTE, WAEC, and NECO. The focus will be on measurable outcomes, including retention, completion rates, and post-school impact.
Similar initiatives by business people include the MTN Foundation, which awarded 368 Nigerian students with scholarships. These efforts demonstrate the commitment of Nigerian entrepreneurs to supporting education and human capital development.
The Dangote Scholarship initiative is expected to have a significant impact on Nigeria’s education sector, reducing financial barriers and increasing access to quality education for vulnerable learners. The program’s emphasis on STEM education, girls’ education, and teacher training will contribute to Nigeria’s development and economic growth.
The program will prioritize states with high numbers of out-of-school girls and will provide support for teacher training, including 10,000 secondary-school STEM teachers in 39 government colleges. This will enhance the quality of education and contribute to Nigeria’s human capital development.
Overall, the Dangote Scholarship initiative is a commendable effort to address Nigeria’s education challenges and promote academic excellence.