Education
Sahara Group Unveils Strategy to Revive Reading Culture
In order to rejuvenate reading culture in Nigeria, a notable energy company in the country, Sahara Group, has launched an initiative called Look to the Book.
The unveiling of this idea was on March 7, 2017, in commemoration of the World Book Day.
In a world dominated by various smart devices and a fast declining appetite for reading, Sahara Group seeks to make books appealing through sundry collaborations with Sahara Foundation and its partners.
According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Institute for Statistics (UIS), about 617 million children and adolescents globally are not achieving minimum proficiency levels in reading and mathematics.
This signals “a learning crisis” according to the UIS, which could threaten progress towards achieving the United Nations Global Goals for Sustainable Development by 2030.
Sub-Saharan Africa has the single largest number of 202 million children and adolescents who are not learning these fundamental subjects. According to the data – two thirds of the kids who are not learning are in school. The data suggests the new numbers are rooted in three common problems. First, lack of access, with children who are out of school having little or no chance to reach a minimum level of proficiency. Second, a failure to retain every child in school and keep them on track, and third, the issue of the quality of education being delivered in the classroom.
Over the years, Sahara Group has invested in the building and renovation of libraries across Africa while organising school reading programmes anchored by volunteer staff as well as regional and global organisations.
Speaking on the initiative, Manager of Sahara Foundation, Mr Oluseyi Ojurongbe said, “The World Book Day is marked in more than 100 countries and it is a UNESCO initiative that aims to celebrate the value of books and reading, especially among young people today.
“We will be driving the “Look to the Book” initiative by encouraging Sahara staff to volunteer towards book reading activities across our host communities and donate towards ensuring more access to books for less privileged children.
“The initiative will also seek to connect such communities with established publishers and charities with focus of enhancing access to books. This will help reduce the book penetration gap across Africa.”
Sahara Group’s Head of Corporate Communications, Mr Bethel Obioma, stated that, “At Sahara Group we believe that books have the potential to shape and transform lives and ultimately, empower the minds that will be making crucial decisions across the globe. We are confident the initiative will inspire a new wave of innovation and inspiration among African youths.”
Some of the library projects recently implemented by Sahara Foundation include: Pugu Secondary school Library Tanzania and UMC Primary school Library Ibadan- Nigeria.
This year Sahara Foundation will be renovating libraries in some of our host communities and providing reading materials to children in communities where books are scarce.
The goal of this intervention is to encourage children and adults to look to the book as a source of inspiration and the wings they need to soar into the future they desire.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has released the results of the 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for school candidates, with 61.54 per cent of candidates obtaining credits in at least five subjects, including English Language and Mathematics.
The Head of WAEC’s Nigeria National Office, Mr Amos Dangut, announced the results at a press briefing in Lagos on Wednesday.
Mr Dangut said 1,200,514 candidates met the benchmark for admission to higher institutions, out of the 1,950,726 candidates who sat the examination nationwide, held between April 24 and June 19.
He said 102,708 examiners were engaged in the marking exercise held at 88 marking venues across the country between 2 July and 20 July.
“Today, I am happy to inform you that all the processes leading to the release of results have been completed. It is now my pleasure to announce the release of the results of candidates who sat the WASSCE for School Candidates, 2026 in Nigeria,” he said, directing candidates to the agency’s portal to access their results.
“UPDATE: 2026 WASSCE (SC) results have been released. Generate your PIN at waec.org and check your results now on waecdirect.org,” the examination body said, noting that candidates must obtain their Serial Number and PIN before they can check their results.
To generate the required credentials, candidates are expected to visit WAEC’s official website and select the “Serial Number and PIN” option at the top of the page.
They are then required to select the appropriate examination year and diet, enter their examination number and National Identification Number (NIN), and ensure that the NIN provided is the same one used during registration for the examination.
Candidates must also provide their email address and phone number to receive a One-Time Password (OTP).
After entering the OTP, candidates can recover their Serial Number and PIN, which they can subsequently use to check their results through WAEC Direct.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
Over 200 senior students of Cleggs Girls High School, Surulere, Lagos, were on July 23, 2026, engaged in practical knowledge about the risks associated with smoking, vaping, and shisha.
This engagement was made possible through a collaboration between Breathe Life Foundation and Teach Nigeria Fellow.
Participants were students aged 15–19 years. They were also informed about the misconception that shisha is a safer alternative to cigarettes or other substances.
Through an engaging and interactive discussion, students explored the influence of peer pressure and learned practical strategies for making healthier, more informed lifestyle choices.
They also gained a better understanding of common environmental triggers of asthma and other respiratory conditions, including cigarette smoke, generator fumes, bush burning, mosquito coil smoke, candles, charcoal, and firewood.
The session highlighted an important reality: young people may not always recognise how seemingly routine lifestyle choices and environmental exposures can gradually affect their respiratory health, quality of life, and long-term wellbeing.
For Breathe Life Foundation, this reinforces the importance of shifting the conversation from treatment to prevention through awareness and education.
By equipping young people with the knowledge to identify risks and make healthier choices early, the foundation is helping to build a generation that is more conscious of – and better prepared to protect – its respiratory health.
The organisation said it is dedicated to advancing respiratory health, an often-neglected public health priority. Healthy lungs are essential to life, yet respiratory diseases remain among the world’s leading causes of death and disability, even though many are preventable and treatable.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
As part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) schemes, the Obajana Plant of Dangote Cement Plc has distributed some educational materials to some pupils in Kogi State.
The items shared to the beneficiaries included school bags, exercise books, writing materials, water bottles, and other essential learning aids aimed at enhancing the learning experience of the pupils and preparing them for the next academic session.
The General Manager for the Social Performance Department of Dangote Cement at Obajana Plant, Mr Ademola Adeyemi, said the materials were donated days after Dangote Cement distributed similar education materials to pupils in public schools in its catchment communities of Oyo, Iwaa, Obajana and Apata; and commissioned a multi-million-naira hospital in Obajana, which added to the growing list of social investments that includes an earlier hospital project in Iwaa and Oyo Communities.
He noted that, over the years, the company has invested billions of naira in a wide range of social programmes for host communities, including empowerment programmes, road construction, and potable water projects, and it remains resolute in its commitment to sustaining and expanding its interventions.
He noted that the company’s corporate social responsibility programmes are aligned with government development priorities and are implemented through sustained, mutually beneficial partnerships.
“The intervention was informed by findings from a needs assessment conducted by Dangote Cement. During the assessment, it was observed that several pupils attended school without school bags, while others carried their books by hand. It was also discovered that many students lacked essential learning materials such as exercise books, pens, pencils, and other basic learning materials,” the cement firm said.
The Head Teacher of UBE LGEA School, St. Luke Model II, Adankolo, Lokoja Local Government Area, Mr Abubakar Sanni, expressed profound appreciation to the management of Dangote Cement for the gesture.
The Head Teacher expressed gratitude to the Group President of the conglomerate, Aliko Dangote, for extending the company’s educational support programme beyond its host and impacted communities to schools located at the state headquarters.
The beneficiaries, school management, parents, and community stakeholders expressed gratitude to Dangote Cement for the timely intervention and prayed for the continued growth and success of the company in its efforts to improve lives and support sustainable community development.
