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From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
The Read and Earn Federation for UNESCO (UNESCO REF) and UNICAF have launched a strategic partnership aimed at expanding access to globally recognised higher education for Nigerians through an 86 per cent tuition scholarship scheme that complements the Federal Government’s Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFund).
The initiative, unveiled under the Educational Financial Facility Scheme (EFFS), was designed to ease the financial burden on students seeking internationally accredited undergraduate, master’s and doctoral degrees while supporting the Federal Government’s human capital development agenda under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
Under the arrangement, Nigerian students admitted through the UNESCO REF EFFS pathway will receive scholarships covering 86 per cent of their tuition fees, while beneficiaries will pay the remaining 14 per cent.
Speaking on the partnership, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of UNICAF, Dr. Nicos Nicolaou, described the collaboration as a significant step towards widening access to quality higher education.
He said the partnership aligns with UNICAF’s long-standing commitment to making internationally recognised qualifications accessible to more Africans.
“Through the Educational Financial Facility Scheme, UNICAF will extend structured scholarship support to qualifying Nigerian students in complement to the Federal Government’s Nigeria Education Loan Fund and in support of the Renewed Hope Agenda,” Nicolaou said.
He stressed that the scholarship is available exclusively to students admitted through the UNESCO REF EFFS pathway, noting that the scheme was designed to complement, rather than replace, NELFund.
President of UNESCO REF, Prince Abdulsalami Ladigbolu-Oranmiyan, said the Educational Financial Facility Scheme was created to provide a structured and sustainable financing mechanism for Nigerian students seeking internationally accredited qualifications.
According to him, the partnership with UNICAF supports Nigeria’s commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals by expanding access to affordable tertiary education and improving youth employability.
He explained that the initiative advances Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 on equitable access to quality tertiary education and SDG 8 on reducing the number of young people not in employment, education or training.
Ladigbolu-Oranmiyan added that UNESCO REF would continue to work with reputable international institutions to create more opportunities for Nigerians to obtain globally recognised qualifications.
The organisations said implementation of the scheme would be monitored through key performance indicators, including student enrolment, programme completion, accreditation outcomes and graduate employability.
One of the beneficiaries, Mrs. Grace Adetola, a registered nurse at Maitama District Hospital, Abuja, said the scholarship had enabled her to pursue a Master’s degree in Public Health Management after years of being unable to afford postgraduate studies.
She described the 86 per cent tuition support as a life-changing opportunity and encouraged Nigerian professionals seeking international qualifications to take advantage of the programme.
The partners said the initiative is expected to strengthen Nigeria’s knowledge economy, broaden access to higher education and contribute to the country’s sustainable development objectives while reinforcing existing education financing initiatives.
