The Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI), spearheaded by Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has significantly increased access to quality education for Nigerian youths. In partnership with national and international organizations, RHI recently unveiled 200 beneficiaries of the AUDA-NEPAD/African School of Economics/RHI Scholarships at an event held at the Banquet Hall of the State House in Abuja.
During the unveiling, the First Lady emphasized the administration’s commitment to prioritizing education. She highlighted the recent initiatives, including zero-interest student loans, bursaries, and scholarship awards, as part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration’s efforts to make education accessible to all Nigerian students. Last year, RHI awarded scholarships of N1,000,000 per annum for four years, along with brand-new laptops to students in Nigerian tertiary institutions. The second tranche of these payments is due in September 2024.
Senator Tinubu also emphasized the importance of empowering the Nigerian girl-child, often excluded from formal education due to cultural and traditional biases. To address this, RHI plans to establish Alternative High Schools for Girls across the country.
The event also featured remarks from the Minister for Education, Prof Tahir Mamman, who praised the First Lady’s dedication to the education sector, noting the Ministry’s additional support through 4,000 bursary grants for tertiary education students.
Princess Gloria Akobundu, CEO of AUDA-NEPAD in Nigeria, and Finnish Ambassador to Nigeria, Leena Pylvanainen, also expressed their support for the initiative. Pylvanainen highlighted Finland’s interest in exploring further educational partnerships with RHI.
The 200 scholarship recipients will begin their studies at the African School of Economics, an affiliate of Princeton University, USA, marking a significant step towards enhancing educational opportunities in Nigeria.
