The Special Adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Political and Other Matters Alhaji Ibrahim Kabir Masari has announced a proposed 40–30–30 percent allocation of funds associated with his scholarship initiative while pledging to increase the number of Katsina State student beneficiaries from 133 to at least 500 in 2027.

Masari made the disclosure during the presentation of scholarship award letters under the Ibrahim Kabir Masari Foundation Scholarship Scheme at Umaru Musa Yar’adua University (UMYU) Katsina, where he emphasised the need to ease the financial burden of higher education on students and their families.

Under the proposed allocation, Masari said 40 percent would be dedicated in honour of a benefactor late Umaru Musa Yar’adua, whose contribution supported the establishment of the university while 30 percent would be dedicated to the late mother of President Tinubu Dr Abibatu Mogaji. The remaining 30 percent, he explained would be dedicated to his own mother who is still alive.

He described the arrangement as a way of honouring individuals whose contributions and personal significance were connected to the initiative, expressing hope that the support would continue to benefit students and future generations. The precise identities of the benefactor and the terms of the proposed allocation require confirmation from the foundation.

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Masari also pledged to expand the scholarship scheme to reach at least 500 students from Katsina State in 2027, subject to the availability of resources and the selection process. He urged the committee overseeing the initiative, chaired by the Minister of Housing and Urban Development Engr. Dr Muttaqa Rabe Darma to consider extending assistance to students pursuing other courses and professional disciplines.

He further appealed to the committee to consider two individuals who are not indigenes of Katsina State for possible inclusion in the initiative, stressing the importance of broadening educational support to reach deserving students.

 

The presidential aide said the scholarship programme was motivated by a sense of responsibility towards young people whose educational ambitions were threatened by financial difficulties. He maintained that the intervention was not an indication that beneficiaries or their parents had failed but an effort by those in positions of responsibility to help ease their burden.

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Masari charged the beneficiaries to take the opportunity seriously, maintain discipline and comply with the conditions attached to the scholarship. He warned that violations of the established rules could lead to the withdrawal of assistance and urged the students to respect the regulations of their institutions, Katsina State and Nigeria.

Speaking at the event, the Minister of Housing and Urban Development Engr. Dr Muttaqa Rabe Darma said the scholarship scheme was conceived after an appeal for assistance from a female medical student who was struggling to continue her studies following the death of her father.

Darma explained that the experience highlighted the financial challenges confronting students in demanding professional fields, particularly medicine and prompted the establishment of the scheme to support deserving students.

He disclosed that 336 applications were received from students across 34 universities in Nigeria. Following verification by the respective institutions to establish applicants’ eligibility, academic levels and performance, two applicants were found not to be indigenes of Katsina State and were excluded, leaving 133 eligible beneficiaries.

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The minister said the initiative would be sustained and extended to students studying other productive disciplines in subsequent rounds, noting that educational support was essential to developing skilled professionals who could contribute meaningfully to society.

He urged the beneficiaries to comply with the programme’s requirements and provide their banking details promptly to facilitate the disbursement of the scholarship funds.

Earlier in his welcome address, the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic) of UMYU, Professor Yusuf El’Ladan who represented the Vice Chancellor Professor Shehu Salihu Muhammad welcomed the intervention and commended Alh Ibrahim Kabir Masari and other supporters for investing in students’ education.

El’Ladan reaffirmed the university’s commitment to academic excellence, quality teaching, research, innovation and community service. He also underscored the importance of maintaining academic standards and quality assurance in Nigerian universities.

The scholarship scheme is expected to provide financial relief to the beneficiaries while supporting the development of medical professionals who could contribute to healthcare delivery in Katsina State and beyond.