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Amid ongoing challenges facing Nigeria’s tertiary institutions and their impact on students’ access to quality education, Senator Sunday Steve Karimi, representing Kogi West, has launched a scholarship scheme to support students of Kogi origin across the country.
The initiative, implemented under the Tinubu Support Group Bursary Award, will benefit 3,000 students in tertiary institutions, with each recipient receiving ₦100,000. A total of ₦300 million has been earmarked for the programme.
According to the senator, 1,000 students from Kogi East and 600 from Kogi Central have already been selected to receive the bursary. The initiative is part of Karimi’s broader commitment to easing the financial burden on Kogi indigenes pursuing higher education and promoting equitable access to learning opportunities.
Recall that recently, in a conscious effort to boost women’s economic empowerment in his constituency, has disbursed a whopping N100 million to 50 women’s cooperative societies across the seven Local Government Areas of Kogi West.
The empowerment initiative, which fulfils one of the Senator’s key campaign promises, is designed to strengthen small-scale businesses, enhance livelihoods, and promote self-reliance among women.
As part of the programme, each of the 50 women’s cooperative societies received approximately N2 million to support and grow their businesses. Beneficiaries were drawn from all three federal constituencies of Kogi West—Yagba, Lokoja/Koton-Karfe, and Kabba-Bunu/Ijumu—ensuring wide coverage and inclusivity across the senatorial district.
In addition to the financial empowerment, the programme featured an intensive business management and entrepreneurship training, which was attended by over 550 women from the benefiting cooperative societies.
The training focused on essential skills such as small business management, financial literacy, record keeping, and sustainable investment strategies. It was aimed at ensuring that beneficiaries use the funds judiciously and grow their enterprises in a sustainable and impactful manner.
The Senator’s wife, Mrs. Stellamaris Karimi, played a central role in coordinating engagements with beneficiaries and advocating for women’s empowerment across the district.
Meanwhile, the collation for this year’s women cooperative empowerment is currently ongoing, and as soon as all is done, the second tranche of women empowerment will be implemented.
