A Trillion-Naira Promise: How Dangote is Betting on Education to Secure Nigeria’s Future

In Nigeria, where countless children leave school due to financial hardship, the Aliko Dangote Foundation (ADF) has launched a N1 trillion education scholarship programme. This bold move establishes a new benchmark for private-sector commitment in education, aiming to reignite hope among students and transform their prospects. Funmi Ogundare reports.

When Alhaji Aliko Dangote stood before policymakers, traditional rulers and development partners recently in Lagos, his message was unambiguous: Nigeria’s future must not be mortgaged by poverty.

With the unveiling of a N1 trillion education scholarship programme, the Chairman of the Aliko Dangote Foundation (ADF) and President of Dangote Group announced what is being described as the largest private-sector education support initiative in Nigeria’s history.

Beginning in 2026, the programme will span a decade, committing ₦100 billion annually to support more than 1.3 million students across all 774 local government areas of the country.

For Dangote, the intervention is neither charity nor token philanthropy. It is a calculated investment in human capital at a time when economic hardship threatens to push Nigeria’s most vulnerable learners out of school.

“This is not only charity. This is a strategic investment in Nigeria’s future. Every child we keep in school strengthens our economy. Every student we support reduces inequality,” he said.

At the heart of the initiative is a carefully structured framework targeting students most at risk of exclusion. The programme is divided into three pillars, each designed to address critical gaps in Nigeria’s education system.

Under the Aliko Dangote STEM Scholars Scheme, 30,000 undergraduates in public universities and polytechnics will receive tuition support of up to ₦600,000 per year, focusing on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics; fields central to national productivity and innovation.

The Aliko Dangote Technical Scholars component will support 5,000 trainees in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), providing not only financial relief but also essential tools and learning materials needed to translate skills into livelihoods.

Perhaps the most striking is the MHF Dangote Secondary School Girls Scholars Scheme, which will provide 10,000 girls in public secondary schools with uniforms, books, and learning supplies, prioritising states with high out-of-school rates.

Education experts estimate that over the first decade of implementation, more than 170,000 girls could be supported, an intervention that directly tackles gender disparity in access to education.

Dangote underscored the urgency of the moment.

“No young person should have their future cut short because of financial hardship,” he said, warning that the current economic climate has made educational support an imperative rather than an option.

In a sector often dogged by inefficiencies, the ADF scholarship programme promises a fully digital, merit-based system for selection, verification, disbursement and monitoring. The initiative will be implemented in partnership with key national institutions, including NELFUND, JAMB, NIMC, NUC, NBTE, WAEC and NECO, ensuring credibility, transparency and reach.

A Programme Steering Committee, chaired by the Emir of Lafia, Justice Sidi Dauda Bage, has been constituted to oversee implementation. Its members include former vice-chancellors, senior education administrators, technical experts and representatives of the Dangote family, an arrangement designed to ensure both independence and accountability.

Beyond access, the foundation says it will focus on measurable outcomes, tracking school retention, completion rates and post-school impact. The aim, Dangote noted, is not simply to award scholarships but to sustain academic journeys and unlock long-term social and economic benefits.

“When a student gets a scholarship, entire communities stand to benefit,” he said.

The education intervention is part of Dangote’s broader commitment to national development. He disclosed that the programme’s sustainability is anchored on his pledge to dedicate 25 per cent of his personal wealth to the Aliko Dangote Foundation, with progress to be reviewed under the Dangote Group’s Vision 2030 strategy.

He argued that education remains “the foundation on which every prosperous society is built”, describing it as the strongest engine of social mobility and the most powerful equaliser.

Dangote was quick to stress that the initiative is not a silver bullet.

“A single organisation cannot solve Nigeria’s education challenges alone,” he said, calling for a united front involving government, the private sector, communities and families.

In his remarks, Vice-President Kashim Shettima, who represented President Bola Tinubu, described the intervention as nation-building in its purest form, stressing that Nigeria’s growing population could only become an asset if properly educated.

He said, “What Alhaji Aliko Dangote has done here today is the single largest private-sector education support intervention in the history of this country.”

He noted that the initiative aligns with ongoing reforms under the Tinubu administration, including the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), expanded TETFund interventions, strengthened basic education infrastructure and renewed emphasis on technical and vocational training.

Education Minister, Dr Tunji Alausa, described the programme as “pure human capital development”, aligning it with the government’s vision of transitioning Nigeria from a resource-based to a knowledge-based economy.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on behalf of other governors, lauded the initiative and pledged their full support. He said that Dangote has continued to set the pace in philanthropy and national development.

“This is purposeful leadership. As a real partner in progress, he has choices, but he has chosen once again to lead with a bold and unprecedented initiative. He has consistently shown what true philanthropy means and how wealth can become a catalyst for development. You are using your resources to lift millions, and Nigeria will remember this,” Sanwo-Olu said.

The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, noted that Dangote’s impact in driving private-sector transformation remains unmatched, describing the new initiative as both transformational and a strategic investment in Nigeria’s future.

He recalled how the ADF came to the aid of his community during a devastating communal conflict that resulted in the destruction of several properties.

Speaking virtually, UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed stated that the scheme would create conditions for children to learn and families to prosper, reinforcing education as a pathway to shared growth.

Dangote turned his message directly to Nigerian youth.

“Your dreams matter. Your education matters,” he stated. “Your future matters. We believe in you. We are investing in you.”