The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, on Friday, has 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, out of 30,000 beneficiaries, 7,000 were drawn from Kaduna State, while the rest were from the six remaining states in the North West.
Details of Scholarship by the Speaker
The disbursement event was held at the newly established Federal University of Education, Zaria.
- The disbursement was said to be facilitated through the Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) in collaboration with Microvis Micro Finance Bank.
- According to the statement, the scholarship ranged from N200,000 to N800,000 depending on the students’ courses of study.
“The scholarship is to facilitate the students’ tuition fees and the provision of books and stipends.
“The students were drawn from the seven north-western states of Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, and Zamfara,” the statement partly reads.
- The Speaker seized the moment to announce the establishment of a modern orphanage in Zaria.
- Abbas described the disbursement as an ambitious education intervention programme that will touch thousands of lives across the North-West geopolitical zone, noting that it is in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration.
“This is an unprecedented initiative in our region’s history. These scholarships will benefit bright young men and women from Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, and Zamfara states, every corner of the North-West. This is a truly grand endeavour, covering all seven states of our zone and uniting us in the pursuit of knowledge and progress.
“What makes this scholarship programme special is not just its scale, but its focus. We are directing support to students pursuing courses in critical fields like Medicine, Engineering, Law, and Technology, among others. By doing so, we are investing in Nigeria’s future doctors, engineers, lawyers, and innovators. Our nation urgently needs more professionals in these fields,” he added.
- Speaker Abbas admonished the students to “study hard and excel” in their chosen fields.
- He added that the scholarship is not just free tuition or a stipend but an opportunity and a responsibility placed on the students.
More insights
In his remark, the Kaduna State governor, Senator Uba Sani, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Alhaji Rabiu Yunusa, commended the Speaker for making life better for the people of Kaduna State.
