KEY POINTS
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Dangote education initiative will support students annually across all 774 local government areas.
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Dangote education initiative prioritises STEM and technical education in public institutions.
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Dangote education initiative is backed by a pledge of 25 percent of Dangote’s wealth.
Nigerian industrialist Aliko Dangote on Thursday unveiled a N100 billion-a-year education support initiative, positioning the programme as a long-term response to the financial pressures that force millions of young Nigerians out of school.
The plan, announced at a launch event in Lagos, is expected to cost more than N1 trillion over the next decade, according to a statement released alongside the announcement. Dangote said the programme will begin supporting 45,000 new students annually from 2026. That figure is projected to rise steadily, reaching 155,000 beneficiaries by the fourth year and staying at that level for the following decade.
Dangote education initiative scale
By the end of the programme’s initial phase, the initiative is expected to have reached about 1.3 million students across Nigeria’s 774 local government areas. The statement said the scheme is structured around four distinct programmes, each aimed at areas where educational exclusion remains most pronounced.
Under the Aliko Dangote STEM Scholars programme, funding will be provided for 30,000 undergraduate students each year studying science, technology, engineering and mathematics in public universities and polytechnics. Tuition support will be tied to actual institutional fees rather than flat benchmarks, the statement said.
Another arm of the initiative, the Aliko Dangote Technical Scholars programme, will support 5,000 students annually in public technical and vocational institutions. Beneficiaries will receive funding for tools, materials and other core training needs, complementing the federal government’s policy that removed tuition fees for students in technical and vocational education and training institutions.
Dangote education initiative reach
Education, Dangote said, remains the foundation of prosperous societies and the strongest driver of social mobility. Yet many talented students continue to face costs that threaten to cut short their ambitions, with opportunity, not ability, acting as the main constraint.
Addressing young Nigerians at the event, Dangote said their aspirations matter and pledged that the foundation would support them through the educational journey.
According to Punch, the Dangote Foundation will run the scheme through a merit-based, fully digital system covering verification, disbursement and monitoring. The process will be carried out in collaboration with agencies including NELFUND, JAMB, NIMC, NUC, NBTE, WAEC and NECO. Dangote said the programme will be tracked using measurable indicators such as student retention, completion rates and post-school outcomes.
Vice President Kashim Shettima said the initiative underscored the role of the private sector in national development, noting that Nigeria’s growing population heightens the urgency of education investment. Education Minister Tunji Alausa said the programme aligns with the government’s push to build a knowledge-based economy, while Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, speaking for the country’s governors, pledged full support for its implementation.
