Three hundred sixty students received scholarships from the MTN Foundation during award ceremonies recently held in Abuja, Lagos and Owerri. Director, Science and Technology, Lagos State Ministry of Education, Grace Akinfoyewa, Senior Special Assistant on Education to the Governor, Lagos State, Adetola Salau, Director, ICT, National Commission for Colleges of Education, Pius Ekireghwo and other notable dignitaries were in attendance.
The MTN Scholarships was initiated in 2009 and provides support to high performing students through annual awards to students in three categories Science and Technology Scholarships, the Scholarship for Blind Students, and Scholarship for top 10 scoring candidates of UTME. Through this initiative, over 4,200 Nigerian students have received scholarships valued at over NGN 2.3billion.
The newly awarded scholars will each enjoy an annual scholarship grant covering their tuition, book allowance and stipend, till graduation, provided they maintain a CGPA of 3.5 or its equivalent.
At the Lagos event, recipients were encouraged to remain diligent in their studies. Director, MTN Foundation, Dennis Okoro, said, “Today is a celebration of excellence, exemplified by these exceptional young men and women. You have earned your place today. Please keep up the good work and watch the world open to you in ways you never thought possible.
For 11 years, this programme has served as a platform that encourages excellence. It has been a means of ensuring some of our nation’s most brilliant minds excel academically, bringing them closer to realising their academic aspirations,” he concluded.
The Executive Secretary MTN Foundation, Odunayo Sanya, said, “As an organisation, we are interested in our youths’ success and know that access to a quality education provides them with tools to be the best version of themselves.”
For the past four years, MTN Scholarship graduates have also participated in ‘Skill Up!’ – an employability workshop designed to arm scholars with skills required for the world of work. This year, MTN Foundation partnered with Project Management Institute (PMI) for a two-week virtual workshop, equipping the 2021 graduates with the technical skills to handle projects successfully.
