Yesterday in Lagos, Alhaji Aliko Dangote launched the N100 Billion Annual Education Scholarship Programme of his Foundation. The programme is designed to reach 155,000 students each year, with an estimated annual investment of N100 billion and more than N1 trillion over a ten-year period. Indeed, this landmark commitment will expand educational opportunities across Nigeria.
The program kicks off in 2026 with scholarships for 45,000 students, growing to 155,000 annually by year four and reaching 1.325 million over 10 years. It prioritizes STEM for 30,000 undergraduates, vocational training, girls’ secondary education, teacher support, and infrastructure, with 25% of spots for people with disabilities. Dangote, Africa’s richest man, called education the strongest engine of social mobility and pledged 25% of his personal wealth to sustain it. Shettima praised the initiative as a generational step to turn Nigeria’s youth into a global asset.
This is a remarkable investment in the potential of our young people. It shows what is possible when the private sector steps up with commitment and when we work together to expand opportunities for every child.
Vice President Kashim Shettima joined Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, at the launch of the Aliko Dangote Foundation’s ₦100 billion annual education scholarship fund in Lagos. The event drew top dignitaries, including the Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, Senator Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia, several governors, traditional rulers, business leaders, and other notable personalities.
The initiative marks a major step toward widening educational access for Nigerian students, reflecting a strong partnership between the Federal Government and the Dangote Foundation to boost human capital development nationwide.
