Prime Highlight
- Aliko Dangote, via his foundation, will invest one trillion naira ($688 million) in Nigeria’s education over the next ten years.
- The program aims to start with 45,000 scholars and gradually expand to support 1.33 million students nationwide.
Key Facts
- The initiative focuses on STEM education, girls’ schooling, and teacher training across Nigeria.
- UNICEF estimates one in five out-of-school children globally lives in Nigeria, highlighting the scale of the education challenge.
Background
Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest man, through the Aliko Dangote Foundation, has promised to spend one trillion naira ($688 million) to improve education in Nigeria over the next ten years. This is one of the biggest contributions from the private sector to the country’s education system.
The program will begin next year with 45,000 scholars and is expected to expand gradually to reach 1.33 million students. The foundation will strengthen education in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), help more girls go to school, and train teachers across the country.
Dangote said the investment is essential to unlocking Nigeria’s economic potential and reducing long-standing social gaps. He noted that Nigeria faces one of the world’s biggest education challenges, with UNICEF estimating that one in every five out-of-school children globally lives in the country. More than half of Nigeria’s 230 million people also live in poverty, making education a critical tool for upward mobility.
“We cannot allow financial hardship to silence the dreams of our young people,” Dangote said in a statement. He explained that the initiative will focus on students most vulnerable to dropping out of school and those with the potential to drive positive change in their communities.
He added that the pledge is more than a charitable act. “This is a strategic investment in Nigeria’s future. Every child we keep in school strengthens our economy. Every student we support reduces inequality.”
The new funding is expected to boost national efforts to improve access to quality education and support long-term development goals, particularly in underserved regions.
