Key highlights
- A total of 22 Nigerian universities have been awarded an N5.5 billion grant by ASR Africa.
- Each of the institutions received N250 million to develop infrastructure.
- The latest grant brought the total donations to education in Nigeria by the ASR to N11 billion.
The University of Lagos (UNILAG) alongside 21 other tertiary institutions in Nigeria has secured a grant of N5.5 billion from the Abdul Samad Rabiu Africa initiative (ASR Africa). The grant is targeted at boosting infrastructure development in the institutions.
According to ASR Africa, each of the 22 institutions got N250 million, under the ASR Africa Tertiary Education Grant Scheme (TEGS).
ASR Africa, Social Development Specialist, Edidiong Idang, said the initiative would continue to partner with Government and the private sector institutions in Nigeria and across Africa to support education.
Commitment to standard education
While noting that education is one of the three core areas of intervention for ASR Africa, the other two being health and social development, Idang said:
- “ASR Africa has donated a total of 11 billion nairas in infrastructure and educational services to 28 tertiary schools in Nigeria. This is because ASR Africa believes in raising the standard of our educational systems in Africa.”
Other institutions
Other institutions that benefitted from the grant include Bayero University Kano; Adamawa State University; Federal University of Technology Owerri and Federal University of Petroleum Resources Effurun.
Others are Nigerian Law School (Lagos); University of Uyo; University of Jos; Federal College of Education Technology, Gusau; Federal University Lokoja; Nasarawa State University; University of Port Harcourt, and Federal University of Technology Minna and Uthman Dan Fodio University.
Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike; Crescent University; Babcock University; Al-Qalam University; Baze University; Nigerian Defence Academy; Federal University Gashua, and the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru were also selected.
Idang said ASR had also been working with the National Government and CSO in In Niger and Ghana, via infrastructure grants of $500,000.00 and $ 3 million dollars respectively, in increasing access to education for the girl child, especially in hard-to-reach rural communities.
She said ASR was set up with an annual pledge of $100 million dollars dedicated to health, education, and social development issues within the African continent.
- “Our belief is that Africans need to rise to provide solutions to African problems. We focus our intervention in Africa and this is expressed mainly on infrastructure development, equipping facilities, and capacity building for researchers, healthcare practitioners, and community-level service providers.
- “We also support the efforts of various Governments in Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa across our three thematic areas. The Initiative provides both technical and financial resources to partners,’’ she said.
In addition, Idang said that the organization’s internal goal is to be the most impactful philanthropic institution in Africa.
ASR Africa
The Abdul Samad Rabiu Africa Initiative (ASR Africa) is the brainchild of the African Industrialist, Philanthropist, and Chairman of BUA Group, Abdul Samad Rabiu. It was set up in 2021 to provide sustainable, impact-based homegrown solutions to developmental issues affecting health, Education, and Social Development within Africa through its annual USD100 million Africa Fund for Sustainable Development and Renewal.
