Africa’s richest man and industrialist, Aliko Dangote, has unveiled a ₦1 trillion scholarship and education support fund targeted at 1.3 million Nigerian students, in what is being described as one of the largest private-sector investments in education in the country’s history.
The initiative, to be implemented through the Aliko Dangote Foundation (ADF), is designed to run over a 10-year period, with an estimated ₦100 billion committed annually to support access to quality education across all geopolitical zones of Nigeria.
Dangote also announced a bold commitment to the programme, pledging 25 per cent of his personal wealth to sustain the initiative and ensure its long-term impact. According to him, education remains the most powerful tool for lifting people out of poverty and driving sustainable national development.
The scholarship scheme will focus on underprivileged and high-performing students, with particular attention to STEM disciplines, technical and vocational education, and other critical areas needed for Nigeria’s economic growth. Beneficiaries are expected to include students at secondary, tertiary, and skills-acquisition levels.
The announcement comes just days after the Aliko Dangote Foundation was named Nigerian Humanitarian Organisation of the Year by Muslim News Nigeria, in recognition of its consistent and far-reaching philanthropic interventions within and outside the country.
Over the years, the Foundation has invested billions of naira in education, healthcare, nutrition, disaster relief, and poverty alleviation, reinforcing Dangote’s position as one of Africa’s most influential philanthropists.
Observers say the ₦1 trillion education fund could significantly ease the burden on millions of Nigerian families, expand access to education, and contribute to human capital development at a time when public funding for education remains under pressure.