A new scholarship initiative targeting financially disadvantaged learners across Nigeria has been unveiled, offering fresh opportunities to pupils and students whose education has been hindered by financial constraints.

The Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Oma Life Rescue Foundation (OLIRF), Ambassador (Dr.) Mrs. Omanibe Ameh-Sanusi, announced that the Foundation, working alongside institutional and development partners, will award scholarships to one million Nigerian pupils and students over the next decade through the A Million Dream Educational Scholarship Project.

Ahead of the programme’s official launch on July 27, 2026, in Abuja, Ameh-Sanusi explained that the initiative is a long-term national intervention aimed at increasing access to quality education for academically gifted but financially disadvantaged children and young people throughout Nigeria.

Under the programme, 100,000 beneficiaries will be supported annually between 2026 and 2036, with recipients selected from all six geopolitical zones of the country.

She said the scholarship framework has been structured to promote broad educational inclusion, allocating 30 per cent of awards to pupils in basic education, covering primary to junior secondary school, 50 per cent to senior secondary school students, and 20 per cent to students in tertiary institutions.

According to Ameh-Sanusi, preference will be given to academically outstanding students from low-income households, orphans and vulnerable children, students facing financial hardship, and young people who exhibit discipline, character and exceptional academic ability.

“Our vision is to produce one million graduates over the next ten years,” she said. “By supporting 100,000 students every year, we are creating a sustainable pathway to educational advancement, human capital development and national progress.”

She noted that the larger allocation for senior secondary school students is intended to address the critical transition into tertiary education, where many talented students are unable to continue because of financial challenges.

“Our goal is to ensure that no brilliant child loses the opportunity to pursue higher education simply because of poverty,” she added.

The Foundation’s CEO disclosed that although the scholarship programme is open to deserving students across various academic disciplines, several institutional and corporate partners have expressed interest in supporting fields considered vital to Nigeria’s economic growth and national development.

These priority disciplines include Medicine, Nursing, Law, Engineering, Information Technology, Artificial Intelligence, Cyber-security, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Accounting, Healthcare, Agriculture, Renewable Energy, Oil and Gas, alongside other strategic professions.

She explained that academic excellence remains a key requirement for selection, with the initiative designed to identify exceptionally talented students whose educational ambitions are threatened by financial hardship.

Ameh-Sanusi further stated that the scholarship programme has been designed as a 10-year intervention, enabling beneficiaries to continue receiving support throughout the programme, provided they comply with scholarship guidelines and maintain satisfactory academic performance.

She expressed confidence that by the end of the first decade, thousands of beneficiaries would have completed their education and become productive contributors to national development. She added that the programme would be evaluated after the ten-year period, after which partners could decide whether to extend it based on its impact and achievements.

“This is not a one-person project,” she said. “Its long-term success depends on governments, institutions, corporate organisations, philanthropists and individuals who believe that education remains one of the greatest investments any nation can make.”

Addressing concerns over whether the proposed ₦100,000 annual scholarship would adequately cover students’ educational expenses, Ameh-Sanusi clarified that the financial award represents only one component of a wider support system established with partner institutions.

She revealed that the Foundation is collaborating with universities and educational institutions across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, many of which have agreed to offer tuition concessions and additional institutional support to scholarship recipients.

According to her, these arrangements are designed to ease students’ financial burden and allow the scholarship funds to cover other essential educational needs.

She also noted that delivering an initiative of this scale would require investments worth billions of naira over the next decade, making strategic partnerships essential for its long-term sustainability.

Ameh-Sanusi commended the encouragement and technical collaboration already received from government institutions, education stakeholders and development partners, while expressing optimism that more organisations would participate as the programme demonstrates measurable impact.

“We have chosen to begin with the support already available rather than wait for every resource to be in place,” she said. “We believe that as Nigerians witness the impact of this initiative, more partners will come on board.”

She stressed that another objective of the project is to rebuild confidence in education among young Nigerians.

“Our nation needs educated, innovative and responsible young people. At a time when some youths are beginning to lose faith in education, we believe it is our collective responsibility to restore hope and demonstrate that education remains one of the most powerful tools for personal transformation and national development.”

Providing further insight into the Foundation’s work, Ameh-Sanusi described Oma Life Rescue Foundation as a non-governmental organisation dedicated to improving lives through sustainable humanitarian interventions.

She said the organisation has spent more than a decade implementing programmes across Nigeria in education, healthcare, humanitarian assistance, youth empowerment, advocacy, emergency relief and child development.

“Our mission is to make the world a better place by sharing with love, while our vision is to positively affect and transform lives,” she said.

She described the A Million Dream Educational Scholarship Project as one of the Foundation’s flagship programmes and expressed confidence that it would become a lasting legacy capable of transforming lives for generations.

Source: Vanguard