The family of Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, has expanded its education support programme to all nine local government areas in Ogun East Senatorial District, awarding scholarships worth over ₦100 million to 831 indigent students.
Governor Abiodun announced this at the third edition of the Gbemiga Abiodun Memorial Education Support Programme, held at Christ Apostolic Grammar School, Iperu.
He said the initiative had supported a total of 1,277 students since its establishment in 2023.
The programme was established in honour of the governor’s late son, Gbemiga Abiodun, to sustain his passion for helping disadvantaged people, particularly students whose families face financial difficulties.
Abiodun said the beneficiaries for the 2025/2026 award year were selected from approximately 3,000 applications received through the programme’s online portal. They comprise primary school pupils, secondary school students, technical college students and students in tertiary institutions.
He disclosed that 150 new beneficiaries were selected for tertiary-level scholarships, while 124 continuing beneficiaries brought the total number of students receiving support at that level to 274.
The governor also announced additional assistance for 80 senior secondary school students preparing for examinations and seeking admission into tertiary institutions.
The support will cover registration for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and the Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE), as well as revision and practice sessions through the LEARN MORE WhatsApp platform.
The initiative also provides vocational training support. Abiodun said technical college beneficiaries received ₦120,000 each in 2025 to acquire essential training equipment. According to him, some beneficiaries had started practising their trades and undertaking paid assignments.
He further announced plans to provide 20 selected beneficiaries with business development training, mentorship and start-up support of up to ₦250,000 each. Another 30 students in tertiary institutions will participate in a digital skills programme covering digital marketing, software development, data and analytics, cybersecurity, and user interface and user experience (UI/UX) design.
The governor said the programme initially focused on the Remo axis but had expanded to cover all nine local government areas in Ogun East Senatorial District. He urged wealthy individuals and organisations to support efforts to improve access to education for disadvantaged students and encouraged beneficiaries to remain committed to their studies.
The Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Abayomi Arigbabu, commended the initiative for supporting students with academic potential who lack the financial resources to pursue their education. He urged the beneficiaries to remain focused and disciplined.
Lamisa Abiodun, sister of the late Gbemiga Abiodun, congratulated the beneficiaries and encouraged technical college students to take their training seriously and use their skills to build productive lives.
Representatives of educational institutions and some beneficiaries expressed appreciation for the assistance, saying it would ease the financial burden on parents and guardians and help students continue their education.
In his opening remarks, the programme coordinator, Rev. Bola Oyeledun, said the initiative had evolved from a family’s response to personal loss into a programme providing educational assistance to students from financially disadvantaged backgrounds.
