By Modupe Gbadeyanka

Up to $2,500 in scholarship support has been provided by Prodigy Finance for 10 African students, alongside application fee reimbursement for 100 applicants applying through NovaGrad, the education access platform of Prodigy Finance.

This scholarship includes two forms of support, from applying to enrolment, both accessed through NovaGrad.

First, tuition and living expense support of up to $2,500 per student for 10 students, where financial support clearly bridges the gap between receiving an offer and being able to enrol.

Awards are limited, and competitive students who demonstrate strong merit and genuine financial need, have a realistic shortlist of universities, and can submit a complete application through NovaGrad within the stated deadlines will be given priority. Shortlisted applicants may be asked to provide additional documentation to confirm eligibility and reimbursement details before support is issued.

Second, application fee support, providing application fee reimbursement up to $200 per student for students who submit their university applications through NovaGrad.

A total of 100 students will be selected for this opportunity. This support is issued as a reimbursement once the application submission is verified and accepted via the platform.

Applications submitted outside NovaGrad do not qualify. Students register or log in on NovaGrad, enter a valid waiver code if applicable, submit their university application via NovaGrad, and once verified, the reimbursement is processed.

Prodigy Finance has supported postgraduate students heading to some of the world’s leading universities for years. Its scholarship programmes are focused on where funding and guidance can make the biggest difference, and that focus shifts year to year, from India and Latin America to Africa, as well as established global markets.

“African students have consistently demonstrated exceptional ambition and academic strength. Over the years, we have seen students from across the continent succeed at some of the world’s top institutions.

“This scholarship gives them a focused opportunity, and NovaGrad helps bring clarity to every step around it,” the Global Chief Business Officer at Prodigy Finance, Sonal Kapoor, said.

Also commenting, the spokesperson for NovaGrad, Ms Mariana Alcocer, said, “African students are among the most talented we see, yet many still lack the exposure or networks that help others access global education. This programme is about recognising that talent and creating a pathway forward.”

By Adedapo Adesanya

Live-learning and creator-economy platform, Hallos, as part of its expansion drive, has unveiled plans to equip millions of youths and women with digital skills and monetisation opportunities through the Learning247 Hallos Summit, aimed at integrating Nigeria’s South-East into the rapidly expanding global creator economy.

At a sensitisation and stakeholder engagement forum in Enugu, the organisation also called for stronger strategic partnerships with government agencies, educational institutions, development organisations, media houses and private-sector stakeholders to advance the creator economy as a credible engine for mass employment, youth prosperity and inclusive economic growth.

The chief executive of Hallos, Mr Alexander Oseji Uzoma, renewed the call for increased investment in internet penetration, reliable power supply, digital infrastructure, creative studios and youth-focused innovation hubs across Nigeria, especially the South-East.

Describing the creator economy as one of the most accessible and scalable employment frontiers globally, he noted that with basic tools such as a smartphone, internet access and creative skills, young people can build audiences, monetise knowledge and generate sustainable income without heavy capital investment or long career pathways.

According to Mr Uzoma, the creator economy offers low-barrier entry into diverse professions, including content creation, social media influencing, live tutoring and digital coaching, video production, podcasting, graphic design, music and performance arts, digital marketing, merchandise design, e-commerce and community management. These activities support a broader value chain spanning production, distribution, technology and management.

The Hallos co-founder also explained that global projections place the creator economy in the hundreds of billions of dollars, with millions of creators worldwide earning sustainable incomes, stressing that Hallos is focused on localising these opportunities to ensure African youths can participate meaningfully and compete globally.

He further noted that Hallos operates a live-learning and creator-focused platform that integrates education, gamified quizzes, merchandising and voluntary fan donations into a single ecosystem. Through the platform, creators can host live learning sessions and masterclasses, earn from quizzes and challenges, sell branded merchandise, receive voluntary donations, build communities around their expertise and organise monetisable podcasts.

Mr Uzoma said the creator economy, driven by social media platforms, streaming services, digital commerce and content monetisation tools, has evolved into a major global industry capable of generating wealth, creating jobs and expanding export earnings.

He stressed that social media should no longer be viewed as a recreational space but as a viable business environment for wealth creation.

“The focus should not just be on content creation alone but on building businesses around content. It is about value creation and structured digital entrepreneurship,” he said.

He disclosed that Hallos intends to reach about 10 million youths nationwide, with over 5,000 already engaged across its programmes, while placing strong emphasis on bridging the gender gap by empowering women and girls through targeted digital training, mentorship and access to monetisation platforms.

As the digital economy continues to expand, Hallos said the creator economy stands out as a practical and scalable solution to youth unemployment, offering low entry barriers and global earning potential.

The company reaffirmed its commitment to bridging the gap between talent and income, enabling young Africans to earn well above minimum wage through creativity, knowledge and structured participation in the global digital economy.

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.