By Modupe Gbadeyanka

Post-graduate students of Bayero University Kano (BUK) will benefit from a scholarship worth about N1.5 billion from the Aliko Dangote Foundation (ADF).

The businessman put down the funds to support eligible MBA, entrepreneurship, and management postgraduate students of the institution under an initiative known as MHF Dangote Graduate Business Scholarship.

At a ceremony on Tuesday, the foundation and the school signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the auditorium of the Dangote Business School, Kano.

The deal is to provide N300 million annually over five years as scholarship awards to the beneficiaries, who will receive N150,000 each per session, beginning with the 2024/25 academic session. This is equivalent to 50 per cent of the current N300,000 fee paid by the post-graduate students. There are 1,225 students in the Business School (696 fresh and 529 returning students).

One of the beneficiaries, Mr Khalid Bababubu, who is into manufacturing and specialises in MBA, Finance and Investment, thanked the organisation for the gesture.

“We are happy to be beneficiaries of this initiative. Education is the bedrock of national development, and we will not take this scholarship for granted,” he said.

A representative of ADF, Ms Mariya Aliko Dangote, said, “Our vision at the Foundation is to build human capital that translates into economic opportunity.

“Strengthening business and entrepreneurship education is critical to turning knowledge into enterprise, innovation, and jobs. This scholarship deepens our commitment to Dangote Business School by investing directly in the next generation of business leaders and change-makers.”

On his part, the Vice Chancellor of Bayero University Kano, Prof. Haruna Musa, said, “This support comes at a critical time for many families. Beyond financial relief, it strengthens the Business School’s role as a centre for developing entrepreneurial and management talent, particularly for women who are increasingly taking leadership roles in enterprise.”

It was explained that newly admitted students will receive automatic tuition reductions during registration, and returning students who have already paid in full will receive rebates. The N300 million allocation is structured to cover all eligible postgraduate students based on current enrolment capacity.

Any unutilised balance in the first year will be retained within the Dangote Business School development envelope to strengthen learning infrastructure and digital academic capacity, ensuring continued enhancement of the academic environment.

The MHF Dangote Graduate Business Scholarship is distinct from ADF’s recently announced nationwide STEM education interventions.

By Aduragbemi Omiyale

Senior secondary school students across Nigeria have been invited to apply and demonstrate their academic excellence on a national stage in the eighth edition of the prestigious national science competition known as InterswitchSPAK.

The contest is organised by Interswitch, Africa’s leading technology company focused on creating solutions that enable individuals and communities prosper.

Registration for InterswitchSPAK 8.0 via www.interswitchspak.com has opened and will close on Friday, May 24, 2026. For the first time, in addition to group registrations through schools, parents can also register their individual children for the competition.

This year’s edition features a scholarship pool exceeding N40 million, with Interswitch expanding the prize structure to ensure broader impact.

The overall winner will receive a N15 million tertiary scholarship, including monthly stipends. The first runner-up will be awarded a N10 million scholarship, including monthly stipends; while the second runner-up will receive a N5 million scholarship, also including monthly stipends. All scholarships are payable over 5 years. Also, the top 9 finalists will all receive brand new laptops and other exciting prizes.

In addition to the top prizes, Season 8 introduces enhanced rewards for student finalists ranked 4th to 9th, as well as increased recognition for teachers supporting qualifying students from 1st to 9th place. This expanded structure reinforces Interswitch’s commitment to rewarding academic excellence and recognising the critical role educators play in shaping student success.

“At Interswitch, we strongly believe that Nigeria’s future will be shaped by how well we nurture today’s young minds. InterswitchSPAK goes beyond competition; it is a long-term commitment to empowering students and supporting teachers who are laying the foundation for innovation, problem-solving, and national development.

“As we launch Season 8, we remain focused on creating opportunity, rewarding merit, and inspiring excellence across Nigeria,” the Executive Vice President for Group Marketing and Communications at Interswitch, Ms Cherry Eromosele, said.

Designed to empower young minds in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) areas, InterswitchSPAK identifies, nurtures, and rewards students while equipping them with the skills and knowledge required to excel in STEM fields and drive innovation.

Over the past seven seasons, InterswitchSPAK has positively impacted thousands of students across the country, offering full university scholarships, mentorship opportunities, and national recognition for outstanding academic performance.

Beyond these rewards, the programme has consistently reinforced the importance of STEM education as a critical driver of innovation, problem-solving, and sustainable national development.

Through a transparent, technology-enabled selection process, InterswitchSPAK has also promoted educational equity by providing students from diverse socio-economic backgrounds with equal access to opportunity, ensuring that performance and merit remain central to success.

By Adedapo Adesanya

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has dismissed the fresh bids by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria to stop the implementation of N2.5 billion judgment debt against the school and in favour of the 110 workers of the University unlawfully sacked in 1996.

In two separate unanimous judgements by a three-member panel of justices, the appellate court ordered the CBN to immediately release N2.5 billion to the former workers of the higher institution of learning without further delay.

In the lead judgments delivered by Justice Okon Abang, the appellate court threatened to impose heavy sanctions on the prime movers of CBN should the apex bank further refuse to release the money kept in its custody since 2018 by ABU, for onward payment to the aggrieved workers.

Justice Abang dismissed the CBN’s claim that the 110 workers unlawfully sacked by ABU in 1996 but ordered reinstated by the National Industrial Court in Abuja, cannot use garnishee proceedings against it to collect the money.

The claims of the apex bank that consent of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice (AGF) must first be obtained by the workers before payments can be effected were also dismissed by the Court of Appeal.

The CBN and ABU had, in separate appeals, challenged the implementation of the judgment of the Industrial Court, which ordered ABU to pay the entitlement of the 110 workers, having found that they were unlawfully laid off by the Sole Administrator of the University, General Mamman Kontagora, in 1996.

The two appellants also faulted the use of garnishee proceedings against them by the workers to effect payments.

The two appeals were dismissed for being unmeritorious.

Justice Rakiya Haastrup of the Industrial Court had on January 27, 2022, issued a “garnishee order absolute,” directing the CBN to pay the judgment sum to the workers from ABU’s funds.

Justice Abang held that the workers were right in filing garnishee proceedings against CBN to enforce payments of their entitlement as required by law.

The Court of Appeal admonished the apex bank for wasting public funds to engage lawyers to file a suit to frustrate the payments of the entitlement to the aggrieved workers.

According to the appellate court, the conduct of the CBN in opposing payments of the money was reckless and reprehensible to the workers since the ABU had deposited the money with it for the settlement of the judgment debt.

“In this matter, it is not the duty of the CBN to play the role of the advocate but to implement the court judgment that awarded the money to the workers in the absence of any contrary court order.

“It is also unethical for the lawyer to the CBN to have supported the bank in frustrating the judgment of the Industrial Court. The unfortunate action of the CBN had prolonged the sufferings and hardships of the workers.

“The lawyer ought to have advised the CBN not to play the role of the advocate, no matter how juicy the CBN brief. The action of CBN is cowardice. It took the matter personal against the workers who have been suffering since 2013.

“There is no lawful reason for the CBN to have filed this appeal against the judgment of the Industrial Court since the workers made no claims against the bank.

“The lawyer owes a duty to the court, to the country, and to the 110 workers to see that they are not unjustly punished or denied the fruits of their court victory. He ought to have withdrawn his services if CBN went against his advice. They ended up wasting the valuable judicial time of this Court.

“How can CBN be asking that the order of the court not made against it be vacated when it has been holding the workers’ money since 2018? The situation must not continue. There must be an end to it. The workers deserve the fruit of their labour,” he said.

The Court of Appeal awarded N5 million against CBN and another N5 million against ABU to be paid to the workers as costs of litigation in addition to the N2.5 billion.