Business mogul and philanthropist Aliko Dangote has announced a commitment of N1 trillion, estimated at about $688 million, to promote science, technology, engineering and mathematics education and support girls’ education in Nigeria.
The initiative is designed to address barriers to tertiary education for economically disadvantaged youths, at a time when international donor funding for development programmes is facing significant cuts.
Dangote made the announcement at the launch of the STEM Scholarship and Girls Education Programme, where he explained that the endowment is focused on expanding access to quality learning opportunities across the country.
“This N1 trillion endowment is dedicated to enabling vulnerable students to access quality education, ultimately making a significant difference in their lives,” Dangote said.
According to details released at the event, the programme is projected to benefit about 1,325,000 students across Nigeria’s 774 local council areas within the next 10 years.
International development expert and Executive Director of the Development Research and Projects Centre, Dr Judith-Ann Walker, described the initiative as timely, noting that it comes amid a recent reduction in USAID funding for development programmes in Nigeria.
“His investment is timely and will help fill the gap left by international funding cuts,” she said.
Dr Walker, in a statement issued by the dRPC Director of Communication and Partnerships, Hassan Karofi, said the Nigerian Education Forum had earlier called for innovative private sector funding in the sector.
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