The Nigeria Higher Education Foundation (NHEF) has opened applications for the 2026 NHEF Scholars Program, marking ten years of impact in developing Nigeria’s future leaders. The programme is designed to equip talented Nigerian students with the skills, experiences, and professional networks needed to succeed as professionals and leaders across key sectors of the economy.
The Scholars Program is a prestigious and competitive initiative created to identify, develop, and support some of the brightest young Nigerian undergraduates. The programme focuses on helping promising individuals reach their full potential as leaders, innovators, and change makers through structured support.
Through sustained career support and coaching, scholars are placed into partner firms where they can gain real world work experience. This approach helps students bridge the gap between academic learning and professional practice, while building confidence and workplace skills.
Undergraduates selected for the programme will have the opportunity to work in leading companies across several sectors, including Financial Services, HR and Operations, Engineering, Technology, Consulting, Healthcare, and Law. These placements are designed to provide practical experience.
The programme also targets exceptional students in their penultimate year and equips them with exclusive internship opportunities, leadership and career development training, as well as mentorship and networking opportunities. NHEF scholars are connected with professionals and alumni excelling across industries.
For the benefits, becoming an NHEF Scholar gives participants access to a programme that has supported over 468 alumni in achieving career and leadership goals.
For eligibility, applicants must be penultimate year students enrolled at NHEF partner universities, including Ahmadu Bello University, Bayero University, University of Ibadan, University of Lagos, University of Nigeria, and University of Port Harcourt.
Applicants must be well rounded, demonstrate academic excellence, show involvement in extracurricular and professional activities, and exhibit commitment to community service and philanthropy.
The application deadline is March 13, 2026. Candidates are required to upload a one page CV, a one page cover letter, and their most recent statement of result in PDF format.
To apply, interested applicants should visit https://portal.thenhef.org/ and apply.
