The Nasarawa State Government has commenced the distribution of over N592 million in bursary payments to 16,756 indigent students enrolled in various tertiary institutions across Nigeria.
Speaking at the launch of the programme on Thursday in Akwanga Local Government Area, Governor Abdullahi Sule said the move demonstrates his administration’s resolve to invest in young people and transform the state’s education sector. He emphasized that education remains the foremost priority of his government, noting that it received 36 percent of the 2025 budget.
The governor explained that the state had revived its international scholarship scheme, currently sponsoring 155 students studying in different countries. He added that support is also being extended to nursing students and others in Nigerian universities to strengthen the state’s human capital. “We paid the 2025 National Examination Council (NECO) registration for over 24,000 secondary students in public schools to ease the burden on their parents,” Sule said.
Sule further instructed the scholarship board to begin preparations for the 2025/2026 academic session’s allowances. Earlier, the Executive Secretary of the Nasarawa State Scholarship Board, Hajiya Sa’adatu Yahaya, commended the governor for his consistent backing.
She explained that while 25,000 students applied through the board’s online portal, 17,762 were shortlisted after screening. Following physical verification, 2,006 applicants were confirmed not to be students and were removed, leaving 16,756 eligible beneficiaries. “We therefore refunded N122,108 to the state government for the ineligible students,” she said.
According to her, beneficiaries received between N30,000 and N90,000 depending on their field of study. She assured that the board would sustain transparency and accountability as directed by the governor.
In his response, Ovey Abimiku, National President of the Nasarawa State Students Association (NASSA), thanked the governor for the support and pledged that the students would utilize the funds responsibly to pursue their academic goals.
