The MTN Foundation, under its MTN Foundation Scholarship, has disbursed over N114 million in scholarships to 380 students, including visually impaired students, across Nigerian universities for 2024.
The foundation has also inducted 380 graduates into the MTN Scholarship Alumni Association.
The scholarship awards are part of the foundation’s efforts and determination to promote academic excellence and boost the education of blind students in higher institutions of learning.
Speaking at this year’s edition of the MTN Foundation Scholarship Award and Alumni Induction ceremony in Enugu, the Director of the Foundation, Mr Dennis Okoro, described the foundation’s scholarship as unique because it is exclusively meant for intelligent, brilliant, and resilient students who work hard in their studies.
He stated that the 13-year-old scholarship scheme is different from a bursary, because “we give scholarships to beneficiaries until they graduate.”
“It’s so competitive that, for us to renew your scholarship every year, you have to maintain the same GPA average,” he added.
“Those of you who have our scholarships should pat yourselves on the back, but never rest on your oars. Continue to maintain the scholarship because there is so much value in it. You don’t join this scholarship and abandon it.”
Okoro noted that one of the most unique features of the scholarship is: “Throughout your course, we ensure that you are certified in your field with up to 10 certificate courses online.
“Apart from that, by the time you graduate, we put you through digital literacy in the serious sense, teach you other skills, and you become part of our family at the MTN Foundation.
“Anyone who is a beneficiary of this scholarship earned it. There’s no issue of influence of any kind. This is because MTN has a brand.”
He warned the beneficiaries that having an MTN Foundation Scholarship means more hard work and consistency in their studies.