The Oma Life Rescue Foundation (OLIRF) has unveiled plans to provide scholarships to one million Nigerian students over the next decade through its flagship initiative, the ‘A Million Dream Educational Scholarship Project.’

The scholarship programme is aimed at expanding access to quality education for academically gifted but financially disadvantaged children and young people across Nigeria.

According to the foundation, the initiative will officially be launched on July 27 in Abuja and will be implemented in partnership with educational institutions and development organisations. The programme is expected to support 100,000 beneficiaries between 2026 and 2036, with the long-term goal of reaching one million students nationwide.

Founder and Chief Executive Officer of OLIRF, Dr. Omanibe Ameh-Sanusi, explained that the scholarship scheme is designed to remove financial barriers that prevent talented students from achieving their educational dreams.

She stated that the scholarship allocation will be distributed as follows:

30% for pupils in primary and junior secondary schools.
50% for senior secondary school students.
20% for undergraduate students.

According to her, greater emphasis has been placed on senior secondary students because many academically talented learners are unable to continue to tertiary education due to financial challenges.

The foundation also revealed that priority will be given to indigent students, orphans, vulnerable children, and young people who demonstrate outstanding academic performance, good character, and discipline.

Speaking on the programme’s objective, Ameh-Sanusi said no brilliant Nigerian child should lose the opportunity to pursue higher education simply because of poverty.

The scholarship is open to students from different academic fields, although preference will be given to courses considered critical to national development. These include medicine, nursing, law, engineering, information technology, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, pharmaceutical sciences, accounting, agriculture, renewable energy, healthcare, and other strategic professions.

Academic excellence will remain one of the key requirements for selection. Beneficiaries who maintain satisfactory academic performance and comply with the scholarship guidelines will continue receiving support throughout the programme.

Each successful beneficiary will receive a scholarship worth ₦100,000, which forms part of a broader educational support package developed in collaboration with partner institutions.

The foundation disclosed that it is already working with universities and educational institutions across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones. Many of the participating institutions have agreed to provide tuition discounts and other forms of financial assistance, helping to reduce the cost of education for beneficiaries.

OLIRF added that the scholarship programme will be evaluated after the initial 10-year implementation period, with the possibility of extending it depending on its impact and the commitment of partner organisations.