Aliko Dangote has unveiled a groundbreaking N1 trillion scholarship programme set to begin in 2026, targeting over 1.3 million students across all 774 Local Government Areas in Nigeria. The initiative will disburse N100 billion annually for ten years, making it the largest private sector education support programme in the country’s history.
The scheme focuses on Nigeria’s most vulnerable learners through three tracks: STEM scholarships for 30,000 undergraduates with support of up to N600,000 yearly, technical scholarships for 5,000 TVET trainees, and secondary school scholarships for 10,000 girls in states with high out of school rates.
Implemented in partnership with national education bodies, the programme will use a transparent, fully digital and merit based system for selection and disbursement. Dangote said the investment aims to reduce inequality and strengthen national development, stressing that financial hardship should never cut a young person’s future short.
A Programme Steering Committee chaired by the Emir of Lafia will oversee implementation, while Dangote has committed 25 percent of his wealth to ensure long term sustainability. National leaders including Vice President Kashim Shettima, state governors and top traditional rulers praised the initiative as a transformative step toward building a more educated and competitive Nigeria.
The scholarship marks a major shift in the Aliko Dangote Foundation’s human capital development strategy and reinforces its commitment to creating equal opportunities and empowering future generations.
