Education
AIG Begins Scholarships For Masters Students From Nigeria, Ghana
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Africa Initiative for Governance (AIG) has called for applications from candidates from Nigeria and Ghana for its 2017 scholarships for a Masters Degree in Public Policy at the renowned Blavatnik School of Government, the UK’s first school of Government, at the University of Oxford.
This call was made by the Chairman and founder of AIG, Mr Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede; and the founding Directors, Mrs Ofovwe Aig-Imoukhuede; Mr Herbert Wigwe and Dr Jeya Wilson, ahead of the inaugural meeting of the Initiative’s Panel of Advisors in Lagos, Nigeria.
From 2017, the AIG will fund five scholarships each year as part of a new five-year partnership which is based on the shared purpose of building good governance and public leadership.
The AIG is a foundation established in recognition of the fact that Africa’s poor record of public sector governance is a critical factor preventing the continent from achieving its true potential.
The initiative brings together proven private sector innovation, leadership and funding into a private-public partnership to attract, inspire and support future leaders of Africa’s public sector.
The AIG believes that the high-calibre individuals trained at the Blavatnik School will drive best practice standards of governance across Africa, ensuring sustainable economic growth and social justice.
The AIG Scholarships will have an initial focus on candidates from Nigeria and Ghana, allowing the students to study for a Master of Public Policy (MPP) alongside classmates from across the globe.
The scholarships will be available to those who can demonstrate academic excellence, proven leadership and commitment to public service and who intend to return to the public sector in Africa after completing their studies.
Along with the scholarship scheme will be an academic fellowship scheme. The AIG Visiting Fellowship will also be available from 2017, open to candidates who can demonstrate an outstanding contribution to public policy that has yielded meaningful impact on the public good, and commitment to public service in their country, region and globally. The Fellowship is open to senior officials or practitioners working in or with government and who are resident in West Africa.
Mr Aig-Imoukhuede noted that, “The AIG Scholarship and Fellowship initiatives are scalable interventions aimed at tackling Africa’s intractable challenge of poor public sector leadership.
“I am confident that our partnership with Oxford University’s prestigious Blavatnik School will become fertile ground for growing future statesmen and women who will change the African continent for good.
“I encourage anyone who believes that they fit the profile for these scholarships and fellowships to apply.”
Professor Ngaire Woods, Dean of the Blavatnik School of Government, said: “We are deeply grateful to the Africa Initiative for Governance for partnering with us. The Blavatnik School of Government shares with the AIG a clear purpose – to transform government through effective leadership and better governance.
“The shared programme will enable excellent West African scholars, from all backgrounds, to study for an MPP and will also bring senior practitioners from the region to the School as AIG Visiting Fellows – providing opportunities to help drive transformational public sector leadership across the African continent.”
The AIG Panel of Advisors is made up of eminent personalities selected from across West Africa and will act as the selection panel for the award of scholarships and fellowships, as well as mentors to successful applicants. The Panel will also meet regularly to debate the challenges that Africa’s public sector faces and to conceive and propose solutions with long term impact.
The panel is made up of:
Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
Dr Enase Okonedo, Dean of the Lagos Business School
Alhaji Abubakar B. Mahmoud (SAN), Managing Partner, Dikko and Mahmoud
Mr Ernest Chukwudi Ebi, MFR
Mr Segun Adeniyi
Mrs Yemisi Ayeni
Mr Ken Ofori-Atta, Co-Founder and Executive Chairman of Databank, Ghana.
Biographies of panel members are available upon request.
Online applications will open on the AIG website (www.AIGAfrica.org) on Monday, 10 October, 2016.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The federal government has suspended the proposed review of registration fees for the 2027 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and the National Examinations Council (NECO) Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE).
The Federal Ministry of Education made the announcement on Monday in a statement signed by the Director of Press and Public Relations, Mrs Boriowo Folasade.
The ministry announced that the letter conveying the proposed fee adjustment, dated June 18, 2026, has been withdrawn to allow for a comprehensive review and broader consultations with all relevant stakeholders before a final decision is taken.
The Minister of Education, Mr Tunji Alausa, directed that the proposal be placed on hold, with the Ministry acknowledging the concerns and constructive feedback received from the public since the planned increase became known.
The Ministry said the proposed fee review was driven by rising operational costs that have accumulated over several years without a corresponding adjustment to examination registration fees.
It said the current fees have remained largely unchanged for several years despite significant increases in costs covering logistics, security, printing of examination materials, technology deployment, quality assurance and other services required to maintain the integrity of public examinations.
“The proposed review was informed by the prevailing economic realities and the rising cost of conducting credible national examinations,” the statement said.
“The current examination registration fees have remained largely unchanged for several years despite significant increases in operational costs,” the Ministry added.
The ministry said the proposed fee hike will no longer take effect as earlier planned, while acknowledging that the concerns raised by Nigerians warranted a pause in the process.
“The proposed review of examination registration fees will not take effect, as earlier communicated, pending the conclusion of the consultation process,” the statement confirmed, adding that the June 18 letter conveying the proposed adjustment has been formally withdrawn.
“This decision underscores the Ministry’s determination to ensure that policies affecting millions of Nigerian students and their families are carefully considered, socially responsive and reflect the collective interest of the nation,” it said.
The Ministry outlined a fresh stakeholder engagement process that must be concluded before any decision on examination fees is made, signalling that the review has been delayed rather than permanently shelved.
The Ministry said it will engage extensively with examination bodies, state ministries of education, school proprietors and administrators, parents’ associations, organised labour and other education stakeholders as part of the renewed consultation process.
It said the goal of the consultation is to ensure that any future decision is “fair, sustainable, transparent and responsive to prevailing realities while safeguarding access to education,” framing the suspension as a course correction rather than an outright reversal of policy intent.
“The Ministry acknowledges the concerns and constructive feedback received from the public and appreciates the keen interest shown by Nigerians in matters relating to access to quality education,” the statement read.
The Ministry assured Nigerians it would keep the public fully informed throughout the consultation process, saying the welfare of students and equitable access to quality education “remain at the heart of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the education sector.”
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The examination fees of Senior School Certificate Examinations (SSCE) conducted by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council (NECO) have been increased by the federal government by about 82 per cent to N50,000 from N27,500.
A circular signed by the Director of Senior Secondary Education in the Federal Ministry of Education, Mr Adeniji Ibrahim, disclosed that the new fees would become effective in 2027.
In the notice, it was disclosed that the government approved the upward review of the fees following a request by WAEC.
It was further disclosed that the decision to jack up the fees was reached after a March 31, 2026, meeting between the Minister of Education and examination bodies, where the need to review examination fees was discussed.
“You may recall that at a meeting of examination bodies held with the Minister of Education on March 31, 2026, where the need for upward review of examination fees was discussed, the Minister directed that WAEC and NECO should adopt a uniform fee for the conduct of WAEC and NECO SSCE,” the statement read.
“Consequently, I am directed to convey the Minister of Education’s approval of the sum of N50,000 only, as the new examination fee per candidate, with effect from NECO SSCE (Internal), 2027,” it added.
**Modibbo Adama University Emerges Grand Prize Winner, Secures N50m
A leading integrated independent exploration and production company with full-cycle upstream delivery capability, FIRST Exploration & Petroleum Development Company (FIRST E&P), has reaffirmed its commitment to developing Nigeria’s next generation of engineers.
This commitment was highlighted during the grand finale of the maiden edition of the Nigerian Engineering Olympiad (NEO), held on Tuesday, June 30, 2026, at Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.
The event recognised outstanding student innovators whose engineering solutions addressed real-world challenges, marking the culmination of months of regional qualifiers, prototype development, mentorship and boot camp sessions that equipped students from universities and polytechnics across Nigeria with practical skills in engineering, innovation and entrepreneurship.
The Olympiad attracted 984 participants across 375 teams from more than 80 tertiary institutions representing all six geopolitical zones of the country.
Delivering the sponsor’s address, the General Manager, Engineering and Capital Projects, FIRST E&P, John Alamu, emphasised that the competition reflects the company’s commitment to equipping students with the practical knowledge and innovative mindset required to excel in engineering and strengthen Nigeria’s future workforce.
Alamu, noting that initiatives such as the Engineering Olympiad provide a structured platform for young talent to transform innovative ideas into practical solutions that contribute to the country’s technological and industrial advancement, stated that, “FIRST E&P believes that developing STEM capacity is an investment in this country’s ability to solve its own problems. The Nigerian Engineering Olympiad has taken young engineers and taught them to think beyond the drawing board, and FIRST E&P is proud to have been a funding partner for this initiative. I commend NCDMB for championing the Olympiad and Enactus Nigeria for successfully delivering a platform that is helping shape the next generation of Nigerian engineers and innovators.”
In his address, the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, represented by the Acting Director, Planning, Research and Statistics, Silas Ajimijaye, expressed appreciation to FIRST E&P for their unwavering support in successfully delivering the Olympiad.
Ajimijaye added that the initiative aligns with the Federal Government’s Nigeria First Policy, which aims to build indigenous engineering capacity and equip young Nigerians with the knowledge and skills needed to drive industrial competitiveness, technological advancement, and sustainable national development.
The competition concluded in the awarding of prizes, with Team Mavericks of the Modibbo Adama University of Technology, Adamawa State, winning the grand prize of N50 million and a Centre of Excellence building for its Faculty of Engineering.
The team’s winning innovation, Ubuntu Sapphire, is a community-powered rapid alert system that uses affordable devices to instantly notify neighbouring households and emergency responders during emergencies, offering a practical solution aimed at strengthening community security and emergency response infrastructure.
Speaking after receiving the award, Team Lead, Dr David Patrick, expressed gratitude to the organisers and sponsors for providing a platform that fostered innovation and practical learning.
The University of Ibadan emerged as the first runner-up, receiving N30 million and N75 million worth of engineering equipment for its Faculty of Engineering. The University of Nigeria, Nsukka, secured third place and was awarded N20 million and N50 million worth of engineering equipment. The University of Jos finished fourth, receiving N10 million.
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