Foundation Announces Scholarship Plan for One Million Nigerian Students Over 10 Years

The Oma Life Rescue Foundation has announced a bold plan to give educational scholarships to one million Nigerian students over the next decade. The plan is aimed at opening the door to quality education for young people who may lose that chance because they cannot afford it.

The scholarship programme is called the “A Million Dream Educational Scholarship Project.” It is expected to begin on July 27 in Abuja.

Under the plan, the foundation will support 100,000 students every year between 2026 and 2036. The selected students will come from Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, which means the project is designed to reach different parts of the country.

One million is not a small number. Behind it are young people with names, families, hopes and unfinished dreams. Some may be brilliant in school but live in homes where paying fees is a painful struggle. The foundation wants money to stop being the wall that blocks such students from learning.

Omanibe Ameh-Sanusi, the Chief Executive Officer of the Oma Life Rescue Foundation, explained the plan in a statement. Ameh-Sanusi said the main focus will be talented students whose education may be harmed by financial problems.

The programme will accept students from different academic fields. However, priority will be given to courses that are considered important for Nigeria’s development.

These courses include Medicine and Nursing, which prepare people to care for the health of others. Law is also listed, along with Engineering, Information Technology and Artificial Intelligence.

Cybersecurity, Pharmaceutical Sciences and Agriculture are part of the priority areas as well. The list also includes Renewable Energy, Accounting and Healthcare. Other strategic fields that can support national development will also receive attention.

The aim is not only to help students earn certificates. By supporting these fields, the foundation hopes to help Nigeria develop skilled people who can solve problems, provide important services and take part in building the country.

The scholarship will cover three main levels of education. The foundation has divided the available support through a clear percentage system.

Basic education pupils will receive 30 per cent of the scholarship allocation. Support at this early stage can help create a firm learning foundation.

Senior secondary school students will receive the largest share, which is 50 per cent. This level can shape a student’s move into higher education, work or further training.

Students in tertiary institutions will receive 20 per cent of the scholarship allocation. This group may need financial support to continue higher education.

Academic performance will be a major part of the selection process. Students who have shown strong results and serious learning ability will have a better chance of receiving support.

However, grades will not be the only matter considered. The foundation will also pay attention to students from disadvantaged backgrounds. This includes learners facing financial hardship and vulnerable young people who have strong academic potential.

A student may have the ability to succeed but lack the money to remain in school. Another may come from a difficult home or face conditions that make learning harder. The project is designed to see both the student’s performance and the struggle surrounding that performance.

The foundation said beneficiaries will continue to receive support throughout the 10-year period. However, the support will depend on two important conditions.

First, each beneficiary must maintain satisfactory academic performance. The scholarship is meant to support learning, so students must continue to take their studies seriously and meet the required academic standard.

Second, beneficiaries must follow the rules and requirements of the scholarship. Receiving support creates a duty; each student must comply with the conditions attached to the programme.

The Oma Life Rescue Foundation is also working with universities and other educational institutions across Nigeria. These partnerships are meant to provide more help beyond the main scholarship support.

The extra help may include tuition assistance and other forms of aid. Such support could reduce the heavy financial pressure carried by students and their families.

For many homes, school costs are not limited to one payment. The burden can continue through different stages of education. The foundation believes cooperation with educational institutions can help reduce this strain.

A project meant to support one million students will require a large amount of money over many years. The foundation admitted that the programme will need significant funding.

Still, the organisation expressed confidence that the project can be sustained through partnerships. It hopes to work with governments, private organisations, educational institutions and individuals.

Each partner can offer support. Governments, private bodies, schools and individuals can all take part; the foundation believes this shared effort can keep the project alive.

The organisation said the programme is not only about paying school costs. It also wants young Nigerians to keep believing in education.

Financial hardship can make a talented student feel forgotten. A delayed payment can lead to missed lessons, while unpaid fees can push a young person out of school. When that happens, a dream may begin to die quietly.

The foundation wants the project to send a different message. It wants students to see education as a path to personal growth and national development. Education can help a young person build knowledge, gain useful skills and create a better future.

The planned launch in Abuja on July 27 will mark the start of that mission. From 2026 to 2036, the foundation aims to support 100,000 students each year and reach one million learners across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.

The target is huge, and the need is real. If the plan receives the partnerships and funding required to continue, one million young Nigerians may receive more than financial support; they may receive the strength to keep their dreams alive.