In a major boost to education in Nasarawa State, Hon. Abubakar Hassan Nalaraba, the lawmaker representing Awe, Doma and Keana Federal Constituency, has awarded ₦100 million in scholarships to 1,000 students across the state’s 13 local government areas.
The scholarships were distributed through the Nalaraba Foundation, an initiative set up by the federal lawmaker to promote education and youth empowerment.
The presentation ceremony took place on Saturday in Lafia, the state capital.
Each beneficiary received ₦100,000, an amount intended to fully cover tuition for one academic session in most of the state’s higher institutions.
“We conducted research and discovered that tuition fees at the state university and other institutions typically fall below ₦100,000. So, we decided to fully sponsor that cost for students from disadvantaged backgrounds,” Nalaraba explained.
The selection process, according to him, involved consulting with local stakeholders to ensure the scholarships went to the most deserving and indigent students across communities.
Prof. Amirikpa Oyigbenu, Chairman of the 2025 Nalaraba Scholarship Grants Committee, confirmed that all payments had been disbursed.
He applauded the lawmaker’s commitment and urged recipients to make good use of the opportunity.
“At least one to three students benefited from each ward. We took deliberate steps to identify students whose families genuinely could not afford tuition,” said Prof. Oyigbenu.
Prominent traditional ruler, Aren Eggon Ahmed Ubangari, also commended the initiative, encouraging beneficiaries to use the funds wisely to reflect the purpose of the scholarship and inspire future programmes.
Several recipients, including Abimiku David and Safiyanu Bushrat, expressed deep appreciation for the support, saying the financial assistance would go a long way in helping them pursue their academic dreams without interruption.
The Nalaraba Foundation says it plans to continue such interventions in the years ahead, with a focus on education, skills training, and youth development in Nasarawa State.
