Africa’s richest man and President of the Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, has announced a landmark ₦1 trillion national scholarship programme, described as the largest private-sector education intervention in Nigeria’s history, aimed at expanding access to education, reducing inequality, and strengthening the country’s human capital base.
The initiative, unveiled in Lagos on Thursday, will be implemented through the Aliko Dangote Foundation (ADF) and is expected to commence in 2026. Dangote disclosed that the programme will benefit over 1.3 million students across all 774 local government areas in Nigeria, with an annual commitment of ₦100 billion over a 10-year period.
According to Dangote, the scholarship scheme is designed to support Nigeria’s most vulnerable learners, ensuring that financial hardship does not prevent talented young people from completing their education and contributing meaningfully to national development.
Three-Tier Scholarship Structure
Dangote explained that the programme is structured into three major categories, targeting critical areas of education where gaps are most pronounced.
The first category, Aliko Dangote STEM Scholars, will support 30,000 undergraduate students in public universities and polytechnics studying science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Beneficiaries under this category will receive tuition support of up to ₦600,000 per year.
The second category, Aliko Dangote Technical Scholars, will cater for 5,000 students enrolled in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions. These beneficiaries will receive essential study materials, technical tools, and skills-based support aimed at improving employability and productivity.
The third category, MHF Dangote Secondary School Girls Scholars, will support 10,000 girls in public secondary schools with uniforms, textbooks, and learning supplies. Priority will be given to states with high out-of-school rates for girls, reinforcing efforts to close gender gaps in education.
Dangote noted that the scheme would be implemented in collaboration with key national institutions, including NELFUND, JAMB, NIMC, NUC, NBTE, WAEC, and NECO, to ensure transparent selection, verification, and efficient digital disbursement.
Investment in Human Capital
Describing the initiative as more than philanthropy, Dangote said the scholarship programme represents a strategic investment in Nigeria’s future.
“This is not only charity. This is a strategic investment in Nigeria’s future,” he said. “Every child we keep in school strengthens our economy. Every student we support reduces inequality. Every scholar we empower becomes a future contributor to national development.”
He stressed that the primary reason many Nigerians drop out of school is financial hardship, not lack of talent, adding that the programme seeks to address this structural barrier.
“Our young people are not asking for handouts. They are asking for opportunities — a chance to learn, to grow, to compete, and to succeed. And we believe they deserve that chance,” Dangote said.
He added that while the Aliko Dangote Foundation has traditionally focused on health and nutrition, the current economic climate has made education support an urgent national priority.
“No young person should have their future cut short because of financial hardship,” he stated. “When a student gets a scholarship, entire communities stand to benefit.”
Governance and Sustainability
To ensure effective oversight, Dangote announced the establishment of a Programme Steering Committee, chaired by His Highness Justice Sidi Dauda Bage, Emir of Lafia. The committee includes former vice-chancellors, senior education administrators, technical experts, and representatives of the Dangote family.
Dangote further disclosed that the long-term sustainability of the programme is anchored on his formal commitment to allocate 25 per cent of his personal wealth to the Aliko Dangote Foundation. Progress under the scheme will be reviewed as part of the Dangote Group Vision 2030 strategy.
He emphasized that the scholarship initiative is intended as a starting point rather than a standalone solution, calling for collective action from government, the private sector, communities, and families.
Government and Stakeholder Reactions
Vice President Kashim Shettima, who attended the launch, praised Dangote for what he described as nation-building in its purest form. He said Nigeria’s growing population makes urgent investment in education indispensable.
“A population becomes a liability only when it is uneducated,” Shettima said. “Alhaji Aliko Dangote has set in motion the single largest private-sector education support intervention in the history of this country.”
The Vice President highlighted ongoing education reforms under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, including NELFUND, strengthened basic education through UBEC, expanded TETFUND interventions, and accelerated technical and vocational programmes. He said Dangote’s initiative aligns strongly with government efforts to improve Nigeria’s Human Capital Index.
Minister of Education Tunji Alausa described the programme as “pure human capital development,” noting that it aligns with the administration’s vision of transforming Nigeria into a knowledge-based economy. He added that by the end of the first decade of implementation, over 170,000 girl children are expected to benefit.
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, speaking on behalf of the 36 state governors, pledged full support for the initiative, while traditional rulers including the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, described the programme as transformational.
In a virtual address from the United States, UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed said the scholarship scheme would create opportunities for children to learn and for families to prosper.
A Historic Education Intervention
The ₦1 trillion scholarship programme marks a defining moment in Nigeria’s education landscape, reinforcing the Aliko Dangote Foundation’s mission to expand opportunities, drive social impact, and uplift communities nationwide.
As implementation approaches, the initiative is widely seen as a model for how private-sector leadership can complement government policy in addressing Nigeria’s long-standing education challenges.
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