Education
WAEC Boosts Credibility of NNPC Annual Quiz Competition
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The West African Examinations Council, (WAEC) has said that standardization of questions and integrity of test administration were the critical value addition it has brought to bear in the on-going yearly national quiz competition of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
Head of WAEC Office, Nigeria, Mr Isaac Olu Adenipekun, who spoke in Ado Ekiti, over the weekend at the Zonal final of the quiz competition for states in the South West comprising Ekiti, Lagos, Ondo, Ogun, Osun and Oyo, explained that three layers of subject specialists worked on the five subject areas of Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology and English, set for the on-going nationwide competition.
According to Mr Adenipekun, who was represented at the event by Deputy Registrar, Test Development Division of the examinations body, Mr Ayo Oyejide, respective external subject specialists developed the questions, which integrity, he added was further enhanced by another set of specialists who moderated them.
Mr Adenipekun said WAEC internal subject area specialists were the third layer of specialists which edited and compiled the questions.
At the end of the South West zonal final, two states, Ogun and Ondo, with a score tie, emerged first, with Lagos technically coming third. The three would knock horns with their counterparts from other five zones in Abuja in October.
Speaking further on the value addition that WAEC had brought to bear on the quiz competition, Mr Adenipekun said WAEC had boosted the credibility of the exercise, saying no participant had access to the questions prior to each of the zonal competition.
He expressed delight on the collaboration with NNPC over the competition, saying it was the beginning of fruitful future partnership.
Delivering a speech during exercise, NNPC Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division (GPAD), Mr Ndu Ughamadu, said the increase in monetary value of the scholarship awards to N300,000, N250,000 and N200,000 for first, second and third place winners at grand finale respectively, to cover every year of an awardee’s tertiary education, as well as the one-off N100,000 grant to state winners, was the additional innovation introduced at this year’s edition of the competition.
Mr Ughamadu, who was represented at the event by Mr Gboyega Bello of GPAD, stated that given the imperative of science, technology and engineering as necessary tools to conquer the universe, NNPC was encouraged to foster the learning of these branches of knowledge through the competition, as the fulcrum of the Corporation’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) project aimed at nation-building.
Also speaking at the occasion, Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Professor Olusola Olubunmi, expressed appreciations to NNPC for giving the state the opportunity to host the South West arm of the competition, stressing that the state attached premium to education and was ready to collaborate with any institution or individual who shares this position.
Prof Olubunmi, who was represented at the event by Mrs Folu Ayoleso, Director, Technology, Technology Ministry of Education in the state, said the state had invested heavily in education in recent times which had in turn made its candidates to emerge best in National Examinations Council (NECO) examinations for two consecutive years, starting from last year, adding that they had also recorded 75 per cent pass in their WAEC examinations.
So far, the zonal level competition had been concluded in South-South, South East and South West zones, with the rest to be executed next week, starting with North East.
The 15th NNPC National Quiz Competition would culminate in a grand finale slated for October this year in Abuja.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has granted another extension for its Student Loan Application Portal to accommodate institutions that requested additional time for the 2025/2026 academic session.
According to the statement signed by NELFUND’s Director of Strategic Communications, Ms Oseyemi Oluwatuyi, on Thursday, the extension applies only to institutions that submitted formal requests, allowing eligible students extra time to complete their applications.
“The Nigerian Education Loan Fund has approved an extension of its Student Loan Application Portal for institutions that have formally requested additional time for the 2025/2026 academic session,” the statement read.
Business Post reports that at the beginning of March, NELFUND announced an extension to the deadline by a week for its student loan application portal following a notable rise in nationwide interest driven by ongoing awareness campaigns.
Speaking on the development, NELFUND Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Mr Akintunde Sawyerr, reiterated the Fund’s commitment to ensuring that eligible students at participating institutions can access the student loan programme.
“NELFUND remains committed to ensuring that eligible students across participating institutions have the opportunity to access the student loan programme,” he said.
The Fund urges students in affected institutions to take advantage of the extension and submit their applications through the official portal.
It also emphasised its dedication to transparency, accountability, and providing sustainable financing solutions to remove financial barriers to higher education in Nigeria.
Established to administer the Nigeria Student Loan Scheme, NELFUND was enacted into law by President Bola Tinubu in April 2024.
The initiative provides interest-free loans to students in public tertiary institutions to cover tuition and living expenses.
Beneficiaries are required to repay the loans after completing their education and securing employment, aiming to increase access to higher education for students from low-income backgrounds.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) has inaugurated a Curriculum Review Committee aimed at strengthening taxation education in Nigerian academic institutions and improving the country’s tax administration system.
According to a statement, the committee was inaugurated on February 24, at the NRS Academy in Durumi as part of the agency’s broader efforts to modernise tax education and align academic training with the evolving demands of contemporary tax administration.
Speaking during the inauguration, the Director of the NRS Academy, Mr Adeolu Akinyemi, said the review exercise would involve collaboration with the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN) to develop a more structured and relevant curriculum for the academy.
He emphasised that the initiative seeks to ensure that taxation programmes taught in Nigerian institutions reflect current developments in tax policy and practice, while also equipping students with the practical knowledge required in today’s tax administration environment.
The committee has been tasked with examining existing taxation curricula across Nigerian institutions and proposing updates that incorporate modern tax policies, recent legislative changes, and emerging areas such as digital taxation and global tax practices.
Officials say the review is also designed to close the gap between theoretical classroom instruction and the practical realities of tax administration.
By strengthening the link between academic learning and professional practice, the revised curriculum is expected to better prepare graduates for careers in the tax sector.
The effort is further expected to enhance tax awareness among citizens, encourage voluntary tax compliance, and support the development of skilled tax professionals who can contribute to national revenue generation and economic growth.
The committee is chaired by Mrs Aisha Hamman Mahmoud, Special Adviser to the Executive Chairman of the NRS on Research and Statistics. Its membership includes representatives from the service as well as academic experts in taxation and fiscal policy, alongside professionals with experience in tax administration, policy formulation, and tax education.
The committee will work with relevant educational regulatory agencies and professional bodies to ensure that the proposed curriculum aligns with national academic standards while addressing the practical needs of Nigeria’s tax system.
The NRS stated that the initiative forms part of its ongoing commitment to expanding tax knowledge, strengthening professional capacity, and promoting responsible tax practices across the country.
The curriculum review exercise is expected to be completed within 60 days, after which the Service plans to provide further updates on the implementation of the revised programme.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The first batch of Nigerian undergraduates to enjoy fully paid scholarships for studying science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) courses across the continent has been chosen by Airtel Africa Foundation.
Business Post gathered that 70 students from universities across Nigeria were selected from thousands of applicants through an independently managed process, which took nearly six months.
It was learned that most of the undergraduates were from the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) Ile-Ife, the University of Benin (UNIBEN), Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED), the University of Ilorin, Ahmadu Bello University (ABU Zaria), and the University of Nigeria (UNN).
The scholarship covers tuition, laptop computers, living expenses, and essential learning resources, a statement from Airtel Africa Foundation disclosed.
The chairman of the foundation, Mr Segun Ogunsanya, speaking at the presentation of the scholarships to the beneficiaries at the Lagos headquarters of Airtel Nigeria, emphasised the need for initiatives such as the Airtel Africa Foundation’s undergraduate tech scholarship for the future of the continent.
“True legacy is not measured by the awards we win or the volume of SIM cards we sell; it is measured by the lives we save, the people we feed, and the students we support when the line between success and failure is at its thinnest.
“At the Airtel Africa Foundation, we believe that lifting people out of poverty is the ultimate benchmark of a great company. Today, we are writing that legacy by tilting the balance in favour of the brilliant but underserved, ensuring that the fourth industrial revolution, driven by AI and Data Science, is built by African talent for the African continent,” he stated.
Mr Ogunsanya further revealed that this fellowship, executed through Airtel Nigeria, is designed to bridge the gap where funding, skills, and opportunity often fail to meet.
In addition to the N500,000 yearly budget for the fellows’ four-year or five-year courses, each fellow would be integrated into a structured support system for academic guidance and career mentorship, intended to ultimately transition students from the classroom to the global tech workforce.
Addressing the students, the chief executive of Airtel Nigeria, Mr Dinesh Balsingh, stressed that youth development is a strategic imperative for Airtel.
“At Airtel Nigeria, we view youth development as essential nation-building. When young people succeed, innovation accelerates, and social stability improves.
“By connecting these brilliant scholars to knowledge, skills, and confidence, we are fulfilling our core mission to connect people to opportunity. To our recipients: you earned your place here through merit and discipline. You are now ambassadors of excellence, and we expect your leadership to be defined by your conduct as you help shape a more inclusive digital future for Nigeria,” the Airtel Nigeria chief said.
The Nigerian cohort joins a prestigious network of Airtel Africa Foundation fellows currently studying in Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Uganda, and India.
The initiative underscores a broader commitment to technology education, youth development, and Nigeria’s digital economy.
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