The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, on Friday approved the disbursement of N5 billion as scholarships to 30,000 students from the North-West geopolitical zone, studying at various tertiary institutions.
This was disclosed in a statement signed by Musa Abdullahi Krishi, Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Speaker, House of Representatives.
According to the statement, 7,000 out of the 30,000 beneficiaries were drawn from Kaduna State, while the remaining came from the other six states in the North-West.
📊 Scholarship Summary Table
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Total Scholarship Amount | N5 billion |
| Number of Beneficiaries | 30,000 students |
| Beneficiaries from Kaduna | 7,000 students |
| Other States Covered | Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, Zamfara |
| Disbursement Venue | Federal University of Education, Zaria |
| Facilitators | SMEDAN and Microvis Micro Finance Bank |
| Scholarship Amount Per Student | N200,000 – N800,000 (based on course of study) |
| Scholarship Coverage | Tuition, books, and stipends |
| Focus Areas | Medicine, Engineering, Law, Technology |
The disbursement ceremony was conducted at the newly established Federal University of Education, Zaria. The scholarship was facilitated through the Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) in partnership with Microvis Micro Finance Bank.
The grant amounts varied between N200,000 and N800,000, depending on the beneficiary’s course of study. According to the official statement, the goal is to assist with tuition, textbooks, and living expenses.
The students were selected from the seven North-Western states: Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, and Zamfara.
Speaker Abbas also announced the planned establishment of a modern orphanage in Zaria. He called the scholarship programme an ambitious educational initiative designed to impact lives across the zone and aligned with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration.
“This is an unprecedented initiative in our region’s history,” he said. “These scholarships will benefit bright young men and women from every corner of the North-West. It’s not just the scale that makes this programme unique, but also its focus on key disciplines such as Medicine, Engineering, Law, and Technology.”
He urged the students to work hard and excel, reminding them that the scholarship comes with opportunity and responsibility.
🗣️ Remarks from Kaduna State Government
Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, represented by Alhaji Rabiu Yunusa, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Education, expressed gratitude to the Speaker. He noted that this initiative has made a meaningful difference in the lives of Kaduna residents and students.
“This kind gesture by the Speaker will go a long way in making education accessible and affordable for our youth,” he said.