MTN Foundation Hosts 2024 Scholarship Awards Ceremony in Abuja

As part of MTN’s commitment to ensuring quality education and rewarding academic excellence, the MTN Foundation hosted its annual Scholarship award ceremony in Abuja.

L-R: Dr. Othman Ibrahim, Deputy Dean of Student Affairs, University of Jos; Mr. Ohwofasa Obazenu, Senior Manager of Sales and Trade Development at MTN Nigeria; Mrs. Aishatu Sadauki, Director of the MTN Foundation; Mrs. Basirat Agbabiaka, Head of the Disability Unit at the Registrar’s Office, Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB); Dr. Anwalu Danlami, Head of the Department at the Federal College of Education, Bichi; alongside numerous guests and the 2024 MTN Foundation scholarship awardees, at the 2024 MTN Foundation Awards Ceremony held in Enugu.

The Scholarship is an annual programme under the Foundation’s Youth Development portfolio, that recognizes and rewards high-performing students in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) courses, and Blind students in Nigerian public tertiary institutions.

The Top 10 scoring candidates of the Unified Matriculation Examination (UTME) also benefit from this programme each year.

In attendance were key stakeholders including Prof. Tanko Ishaya, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Jos, who was represented by Dr. Othman Ibrahim, Deputy Dean of Student Affairs, University of Jos; Professor Is-Haq Oloyede, the current Registrar and Chief Executive of Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), who was represented by Mrs. Basirat Agbabiaka, Head of the Disability Unit at the Registrar’s Office, Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB); Mrs. Aishatu Sadauki, Director of the MTN Foundation; Dr. Anwalu Danlami, Head of the Department at the Federal College of Education, Bichi; Mr. Ohwofasa Obazenu, Senior Manager of Sales and Trade Development at MTN Nigeria alongside numerous guests. Several Alumni of the MTN Foundation Scholarship scheme across various universities in Northern Nigeria were also in attendance.

Speaking at the event, the director of MTN Foundation, Mrs. Aishatu Sadauki emphasized that education is a powerful tool for shaping minds and driving societal change, urging the new scholars to leverage their scholarships to build meaningful connections and contribute positively to their communities.

“For the past 13 years, the MTN Foundation has been driven by the belief that every individual, irrespective of their socio-economic status, has the potential to be a trailblazer, problem-solver, and visionary.

“Today, we are graduating 380 scholars whose achievements are not only a reflection of their potential, but also a contribution to the development of our great nation and beyond.They have surpassed our expectations by remaining steadfast and dedicated to excellence.

“These qualities have brought them this far, and we will not relent in our commitment to supporting their education.

“To the new scholars, I urge you to take advantage of this scholarship to build meaningful connections, acquire the knowledge you need to rise and give back to our society,” she said.

Also speaking at the event, Prof. Tanko Ishaya, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Jos, who was represented by Dr. Othman Ibrahim, Deputy Dean of Student Affairs, University of Jos emphasized that recipients should fully embrace the scholarship opportunity, as it can greatly benefit their future, while also acknowledging MTN’s continued commitment to supporting education despite rising living costs.

“I want to sincerely thank MTN for this noble cause. I took the time to see all the good works they are doing, and the results truly speak for themselves.

“To the scholarship recipients, please don’t take this opportunity lightly. Make the best use of it, as it will benefit you greatly in the long run. It is not easy for anyone to support education these days, especially with the rising cost of living, yet MTN continues to do good work.

“I promise you that more individuals will benefit from this scholarship, and to all participants, I wish you the best of luck,” he said.

The scholarships were officially presented to the recipients during the award ceremony in Abuja. The newly awarded scholars will each enjoy a scholarship grant worth N300,000 annually till graduation as long as they maintain the required Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA).

The scholarship covers tuition, book allowance and stipend. To date, MTN Foundation has awarded scholarships valued at over 2.5 billion naira to Nigerian students.