Bago invests in education, establishes new universities
The Niger State Government says it has made unprecedented investments in education over the last two years, with interventions spanning basic, secondary, and tertiary levels. According to a statement by Oluwatosin Fredrick Ogunkuade, Coordinator of the Documentation Unit in the Office of the Governor, the administration of Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago has embarked on reforms […]
The Niger State Government says it has made unprecedented investments in education over the last two years, with interventions spanning basic, secondary, and tertiary levels.
According to a statement by Oluwatosin Fredrick Ogunkuade, Coordinator of the Documentation Unit in the Office of the Governor, the administration of Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago has embarked on reforms to improve infrastructure, expand access, and support inclusive learning across the state.
At the primary level, the government launched the Marafa Basic School pilot scheme and approved the provision of 23,400 chairs with attached lockers for public schools.
At the tertiary level, Niger State has established Abubakar Abdulsalami University of Agriculture and Climate Action in Mokwa and Abdulkadir Kure University of Minna, while the Abubakar Imam University of Science and Innovation, Zungeru, is in progress.
The government also provided financial support to both public and private institutions, including ₦500 million to Abdulkadir Kure University of Minna for accreditation, ₦250 million to Newgate University, Minna, ₦100 million to the Federal University of Technology, Minna, for hostel construction, and ₦100 million for examination fees of Nursing and Health Sciences students. In addition, more than ₦500 million was paid to WAEC and NECO to prevent students’ results from being withheld.
Scholarship and bursary payments have also been scaled up, with over ₦2.5 billion disbursed in 2023/2024 to indigenes in tertiary institutions nationwide. Another ₦2 billion has been earmarked for the 2024/2025 session to cover more than 27,000 screened applicants. Support has also been extended to Niger students abroad, with ₦65 million released to assist them in completing their studies, while ₦23 million was given to a female student undergoing pilot training in Zaria.
The statement further highlighted investments in skills and technology. These include training 150 students in Artificial Intelligence, establishing ICT hubs, training over 4,000 individuals in ICT, and converting the Abdulsalami Youth Center into a full ICT hub, with a $800,000 commitment from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
To promote inclusive education, ₦348 million was disbursed under the AGILE project to support the schooling of 8,700 girls. Boarding schools also received food supplies, kitchen utensils, and farm equipment.
Governor Bago’s wife, Hajiya Fatima Mohammed Bago, has also supported the sector through the distribution of ₦300,000 scholarships to 100 students, a scheme expected to run for three academic sessions. She has also distributed farm equipment to schools to encourage agricultural learning and self-reliance.
Other interventions include restoring peace at Ibrahim Badamasi University, Lapai, reconstituting its governing council, and converting Shiroro Motel into a modern teaching hospital.
The Niger State Government said the initiatives were part of efforts to reposition the education sector for global competitiveness and to ensure that students benefit from improved access and opportunities.