The Borno State government disbursed over N9.7 billion on student scholarships in 2024, according to Malam Lawan Wakilbe, the Commissioner for Education, Science, Technology, and Innovation. Wakilbe made this announcement during a press briefing in Maiduguri, following the first Executive Council meeting of 2025.
This scholarship initiative is a key component of Governor Babagana Zulum’s 10-year transformation agenda and 25-year development plan, designed to rebuild Borno State’s workforce and address the impacts of prolonged insurgency.
Providing a detailed breakdown, Wakilbe revealed that N4.29 billion was allocated to 30,616 undergraduate students studying Law, Science, Medicine, Nursing, and Engineering in Nigerian institutions. Additionally, N382 million was awarded to 335 postgraduate students pursuing STEM courses in local institutions.
For international studies, the state spent N2.32 billion on 132 undergraduates enrolled in Medicine and Engineering programs in China and Egypt, while 287 postgraduate students in STEM courses in India and Malaysia received N2.69 billion. “In total, 31,369 students benefitted from the state’s scholarship programme in 2024,” Wakilbe noted.
Looking ahead, Governor Zulum has approved the sponsorship of 30 new students for aviation courses in 2025, with plans to introduce more scholarship programs later in the year.
Wakilbe highlighted the beneficiaries enrolled in various institutions, stating, “997 students are currently studying at the College of Nursing, Maiduguri, while 94 others are at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital.” He added that 32 medical students are at Al-Ansar University, Maiduguri, and 392 are attending the Federal Polytechnic, Monguno.
For international scholarships, 150 students are studying in India, including 19 in Medicine. Others are in Malaysia, China, and Egypt. “In China, 10 students are pursuing MBBS at Jinzhou Medical University, 30 at Anhui Medical University, and 50 are studying Engineering at other universities,” Wakilbe detailed.
The commissioner emphasized that the government’s efforts extend beyond scholarships, including the construction and equipping of mega schools, recruitment of qualified teachers, and reducing the number of out-of-school children. He praised Governor Zulum and the Executive Secretary of the Borno State Scholarship Board, Mallam Bala Isa, for their dedication. “Their commitment has provided significant relief to parents and created opportunities for students to access quality education,” Wakilbe concluded.
