Aliko Dangote, chairman of the Dangote Group, on Thursday launched a N100 billion annual education support programme aimed at keeping financially vulnerable Nigerian students in school.
Speaking at the national scholarship scheme launch in Lagos, Dangote said poverty was forcing many brilliant young Nigerians out of classrooms.
“Education is the strongest engine of social mobility and a critical foundation for national development,” he said.
The initiative, funded by the Aliko Dangote Foundation, is set to run for ten years starting in 2026, with a projected total cost exceeding N1 trillion.
At inception, the scheme will support 45,000 scholars annually, expanding to 155,000 beneficiaries each year by the fourth year and maintaining that level throughout the decade. By 2036, the programme is expected to have assisted at least 1.3 million students.
Dangote emphasized the importance of preventing financial hardship from limiting the potential of young Nigerians, noting their skills, resilience, and leadership are vital for the nation’s future.
A key component of the initiative is the Aliko Dangote STEM Scholars programme, which will provide scholarships to 30,000 undergraduate students each year pursuing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) courses in public universities and polytechnics.
Scholarship recipients will receive tuition support aligned with the fees of their institution and course of study.
Dangote highlighted that the programme aims to expand access to higher education, promote innovation, and equip young Nigerians to compete on a global scale.
“STEM drives development. If Nigeria must compete globally, our young minds must have the tools to learn, imagine, and innovate,” he said.
