By joshua Why OLIRF, Partners Are to Provide Scholarships for One Million Nigerian Students
*Initiative To Be Launched July 27, 2026, in Abuja
Ayo Ola
The Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Oma Life Rescue Foundation (OLIRF), Ambassador (Dr.) Mrs. Omanibe Ameh-Sanusi, has announced that the Foundation, in collaboration with institutional and development partners, will provide scholarships to one million Nigerian students over the next ten years through the A Million Dream Educational Scholarship Project.
Speaking ahead of the official launch of the initiative scheduled for July 27, 2026, in Abuja, Ameh-Sanusi said the programme is a long-term national educational intervention designed to expand access to quality education for brilliant but financially disadvantaged children and young people across Nigeria.
According to her, the project aims to support 100,000 beneficiaries annually from 2026 to 2036, with beneficiaries drawn from all six geopolitical zones of the country.
She explained that the scholarship structure has been carefully designed to ensure broad educational inclusion, with 30 per cent allocated to pupils in basic education (primary to junior secondary school), 50 per cent to senior secondary school students, and 20 per cent to students in tertiary institutions.
Ameh-Sanusi said priority would be given to academically outstanding students from low-income families, orphans and vulnerable children, students facing financial hardship, and young people who demonstrate discipline, character and exceptional academic potential.
“Our vision is to produce one million graduates over the next ten years,” she said. “By supporting 100,000 students every year, we are creating a sustainable pathway to educational advancement, human capital development and national progress.”
She noted that the larger allocation to senior secondary school students reflects the critical transition stage into tertiary education, where many academically gifted students are unable to continue their education because of financial limitations.
“Our goal is to ensure that no brilliant child loses the opportunity to pursue higher education simply because of poverty,” she added.
The Foundation’s CEO disclosed that while the scholarship programme remains open to deserving students across various disciplines, some institutional and corporate partners have expressed interest in supporting courses that directly contribute to national development and economic growth.
These priority areas include Medicine, Nursing, Law, Engineering, Information Technology, Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Accounting, Healthcare, Agriculture, Renewable Energy, Oil and Gas, and other strategic professions essential to Nigeria’s future.
She explained that academic excellence remains one of the programme’s principal selection criteria, adding that the initiative seeks to identify exceptionally talented students whose educational aspirations are threatened by financial hardship.
Ameh-Sanusi further explained that the scholarship programme has been designed as a 10-year intervention, allowing beneficiaries to receive support throughout the programme’s lifespan, subject to the scholarship guidelines and satisfactory academic performance.
She expressed optimism that by the end of the first decade, thousands of beneficiaries would have completed their education and become productive contributors to national development.
According to her, the programme will be reviewed at the end of the ten-year period, after which partners may decide to extend the initiative based on its impact and success.
“This is not a one-person project,” she said. “Its long-term success depends on governments, institutions, corporate organisations, philanthropists and individuals who believe that education remains one of the greatest investments any nation can make.”
Responding to concerns about whether the proposed ₦100,000 annual scholarship would be sufficient to meet students’ educational needs, Ameh-Sanusi explained that the financial award forms only one part of a broader support framework established with partner institutions.
She disclosed that the Foundation is collaborating with universities and educational institutions across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, many of which have agreed to provide tuition concessions and other forms of institutional support for scholarship beneficiaries.
According to her, these arrangements are intended to reduce the financial burden on students and enable the scholarship funds to address other essential educational needs.
She added that implementing a programme of this magnitude would require investments running into billions of naira over the next decade, making strategic partnerships essential to its sustainability.
Ameh-Sanusi commended the encouragement and technical collaboration already received from government institutions, educational stakeholders and development partners, while expressing confidence that additional organisations would join the initiative as its impact becomes evident.
“We have chosen to begin with the support already available rather than wait for every resource to be in place,” she said. “We believe that as Nigerians witness the impact of this initiative, more partners will come on board.”
She stressed that the project is also aimed at restoring confidence in education among young Nigerians.
“Our nation needs educated, innovative and responsible young people. At a time when some youths are beginning to lose faith in education, we believe it is our collective responsibility to restore hope and demonstrate that education remains one of the most powerful tools for personal transformation and national development.”
Speaking on the Foundation’s background, Ameh-Sanusi described Oma Life Rescue Foundation as a non-governmental organisation committed to improving lives through sustainable humanitarian interventions.
She said the Foundation has, for well over a decade, implemented impactful programmes across Nigeria in education, healthcare, humanitarian assistance, youth empowerment, advocacy, emergency relief and child development.
“Our mission is to make the world a better place by sharing with love, while our vision is to positively affect and transform lives,” she said.
She described the A Million Dream Educational Scholarship Project as one of the Foundation’s flagship initiatives and expressed confidence that it would become a lasting legacy that would continue transforming lives for generations.
Among the dignitaries expected at the launch are the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, as Special Guest of Honour; Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Alausa; Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction,Minister of Women Affairs, Hajia Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim; Minister of State for Budget and Economic Planning, Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite; Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory, Dr. Mariya Mahmoud Bunkure; Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children Education, Dr. Muhammad Idris; Secretary for Education, FCT Administration, Dr. Danlami Hayyo; Executive Secretary of UBEC, Aisha Garba; Vice-Chancellor of the University of Abuja, Hon. Abubakar Umar Tambuwal,Dr Adedolapo Fasawe,Representative of UNESCO in Nigeria, Dr. Jean-Paul Abiaga; Education Leader, Dr. Moronmubo Akinsile; Grand Kadi of Kwara State, Justice Kamaldeen Abdulkadir; and Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of Jeje-Ola Properties Nigeria Limited, Dr. Sanusi Jeje-Ola, among other distinguished guests.
Interview
Ambassador (Dr.) Mrs. Omanibe Ameh-Sanusi is the Founder/Chief Executive Officer, Oma Life Rescue Foundation (OLIRF) and the CEO Omalife and Associates Nig Ltd. A company rooted in food matters,production,distribution,importation and exportation. In this interview, she gives insight into the ‘A Million Dream Educational Scholarship Project.
How many people will benefit from this scholarship?
Our vision is to produce one million graduates over the next ten years through the A Million Dream Educational Scholarship Project. To achieve this, we aim to support 100,000 beneficiaries every year, creating a sustainable pathway to educational advancement and national development.
Who are the categories of beneficiaries?
The scholarship has been carefully structured to ensure that deserving students at different stages of their educational journey benefit.
30% of the scholarships are reserved for pupils in basic education, covering primary to junior secondary school.
50% are allocated to senior secondary school students, particularly those preparing to transition into tertiary institutions.
20% are for students already enrolled in tertiary institutions.
We deliberately allocated a larger percentage to senior secondary students because this is the stage where many brilliant young people lose the opportunity to pursue higher education due to financial constraints. Every year, thousands of students perform well in examinations such as JAMB but are unable to proceed because they lack the necessary resources.
Our goal is to bridge that gap by ensuring that talented students are not denied the opportunity to pursue higher education simply because of poverty.
Do your partners give preference to certain courses of study?
Yes. While the scholarship remains open to deserving students across different disciplines, some of our institutional and corporate partners have expressed interest in supporting programmes that directly contribute to national development and economic growth.
These include fields such as Medicine, Nursing,engineering, information technology, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, pharmaceutical sciences, accounting,Law,healthcare, agriculture and other strategic professions where there is significant demand for skilled manpower.
However, one of our primary selection criteria remains academic excellence. We are particularly interested in identifying exceptionally brilliant students whose educational aspirations are threatened by financial hardship. Our objective is to remove that barrier and allow them to realise their full potential.
Are emerging fields like Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity and Engineering among your priorities?
Absolutely.
Nigeria’s future depends largely on the quality of professionals we produce today. Emerging fields such as Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, Engineering, Oil and Gas, Renewable Energy and other technology-driven disciplines are critical to national growth and global competitiveness.
We want to nurture exceptionally gifted young Nigerians who can become innovators, researchers, professionals and solution providers in these sectors. Many talented students possess the intellectual capacity to excel in these fields but are held back by financial limitations. This scholarship is designed to remove that obstacle.
Will beneficiaries in basic education continue receiving support until they graduate from university?
The project has been designed as a 10-year scholarship initiative.
Wherever a beneficiary joins us—whether at primary school, junior secondary, senior secondary or tertiary level—we will continue supporting that student within the lifespan of the current programme, subject to the scholarship guidelines and satisfactory academic performance.
By the end of the ten-year period, we expect that a significant number of our beneficiaries will have successfully completed their education and become productive members of society.
At that point, we will review the programme together with our partners, celebrate the impact achieved, and evaluate opportunities for expansion or renewal. If our partners decide to extend the programme, we will gladly continue. If not, we will still celebrate the lives transformed during those ten years.
This is not a one-person project. We are the pioneers of the vision, but its long-term success depends on the commitment of institutions, organisations and individuals who believe that education remains the most powerful investment any nation can make.
Many people believe ₦100,000 per beneficiary may not be sufficient considering tuition, accommodation and other expenses. How do you intend to address this?
That is a very important question.
The ₦100,000 scholarship is only one component of a much broader support structure that has been carefully designed with our institutional partners.
We are collaborating with universities and other educational institutions across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones. Some of these institutions have agreed to provide various forms of support for scholarship beneficiaries, including tuition concessions and other institutional assistance. These arrangements significantly reduce the financial burden on students and allow the scholarship funds to address additional educational needs.
Beyond tuition, we also work closely with our partners to ensure that beneficiaries receive the support necessary to remain focused on their studies throughout their academic journey.
It is also important to understand the scale of this initiative. Supporting 100,000 students annually requires resources running into billions of naira over time. That is why collaboration is essential.
We appreciate the encouragement and technical collaboration we have received from government institutions, educational stakeholders and development partners, and we remain open to welcoming more organisations that share our vision.
Rather than waiting until every resource is fully available before taking action, we have chosen to begin with the support already secured, trusting that more partners will join as they witness the impact of this initiative.
Our nation needs educated, innovative and responsible young people. At a time when some young Nigerians are beginning to lose confidence in education, we believe it is our collective responsibility to restore hope by demonstrating that education remains one of the greatest pathways to personal and national transformation.
Tell us about Oma Life Rescue Foundation?
Oma Life Rescue Foundation (OLIRF) is a non-governmental organisation dedicated to improving lives through sustainable humanitarian interventions.
For well over a decade, the Foundation has implemented impactful programmes across Nigeria in the areas of education, healthcare, humanitarian support, advocacy, youth empowerment, emergency relief and child development.
Our mission is simple: to make the world a better place by sharing with love, while our vision is to positively affect and transform lives.
Everything we do is driven by the desire to restore hope, create opportunities and build a better future for vulnerable individuals and communities.
The A Million Dream Educational Scholarship Project is one of the Foundation’s flagship initiatives and reflects our unwavering belief that investing in education is one of the most effective ways to transform lives and build a stronger nation.
We pray that this vision grows beyond us and becomes a lasting legacy that continues to impact generations yet unborn.