Malam Lawan Wakilbe, the Commissioner for Education, Science, Technology, and Innovation, Borno State disclosed that the state government disbursed more than N9.7 billion on student scholarships in 2024.
Wakilbe revealed this during a press briefing in Maiduguri following the first Executive Council meeting of 2025.
The scholarship programme is part of Governor Babagana Zulum’s 10-year transformation agenda and 25-year development plan aimed at rebuilding Borno State’s workforce and addressing the challenges posed by years of insurgency.
Breakdown of the funds
Wakilbe provided a detailed breakdown of the funds, explaining that N4.29 billion was allocated to 30,616 undergraduate students in Nigerian institutions studying Law, Science, Medicine, Nursing, and Engineering.
“Additionally, N382 million was awarded to 335 post-graduate students pursuing Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) courses in local institutions,” Wakilbe said.
For students studying abroad, the state allocated N2.32 billion to 132 undergraduates enrolled in Medicine and Engineering programs in China and Egypt. Similarly, 287 post-graduate students pursuing STEM courses in India and Malaysia received N2.69 billion.
“In total, 31,369 students benefitted from the state’s scholarship programme in 2024,” Wakilbe stated.
The commissioner disclosed that Governor Babagana Zulum has approved the sponsorship of 30 new students for aviation courses in 2025, alongside plans to introduce additional scholarship programmes later in the year.
Beneficiaries and academic institutions
Wakilbe highlighted the number of beneficiaries currently enrolled in various institutions.
“997 students are currently studying at the College of Nursing, Maiduguri, while 94 others are at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital,” he said.
- He also noted that 32 medical students are enrolled at Al-Ansar University, Maiduguri, and 392 students are attending the Federal Polytechnic, Monguno.
- For international scholarships, 150 students are studying in India, including 19 in Medicine, with others in Malaysia, China, and Egypt.
“In China, 10 students are pursuing MBBS at Jinzhou Medical University, 30 at Anhui Medical University, and 50 are studying Engineering at other universities,” Wakilbe explained.
- Wakilbe emphasized that the government’s efforts extend beyond scholarships to include constructing and equipping mega schools, recruiting qualified teachers, and reducing the number of out-of-school children.
- The commissioner praised Governor Zulum and the Executive Secretary of the Borno State Scholarship Board, Mallam Bala Isa, for their contributions to the success of the scholarship programme.
“Their dedication has provided significant relief to parents and created opportunities for students to access quality education,” Wakilbe remarked.
