Aliko Dangote Foundation (ADF), chaired by Africa’s wealthiest man, Aliko Dangote, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) worth N1.5 billion with Bayero University Kano (BUK) for postgraduate students of the Dangote Business School located in the tertiary institution.

The MoU, which was signed at the main auditorium of the Dangote Business School, Kano, on Tuesday, provides a sum of ₦300 million annually over five years as scholarship awards to all eligible MBA, entrepreneurship, and management postgraduate students.

Under the MoU, jointly signed by the member, the Board of Trustees of the ADF, Hajiya Mariya Aliko Dangote, and the vice-chancellor of Bayero University, Prof. Haruna Musa, each beneficiary will receive ₦150,000 per session, beginning with the 2024/25 academic session. This is equivalent to 50 per cent of the current N300,000 fee paid by the postgraduate students. There are 1,225 students in the Business School (696 fresh and 529 returning students).

At the event, which was well attended by the Faculty of the BUK, top ADF officials, and scores of postgraduate students, Aliko Dangote, chairman, Aliko Dangote Foundation and group president, Dangote Industries Limited, represented by ADF Board Trustee, Mariya Aliko Dangote, noted, “Our vision at the Foundation is to build human capital that translates into economic opportunity. Strengthening business and entrepreneurship education is critical to turning knowledge into enterprise, innovation, and jobs. This scholarship deepens our commitment to Dangote Business School by investing directly in the next generation of business leaders and change-makers.”

Prof. Haruna Musa, vice-chancellor of Bayero University Kano, who lauded the initiative, said, “This support comes at a critical time for many families. Beyond financial relief, it strengthens the business school’s role as a centre for developing entrepreneurial and management talent, particularly for women who are increasingly taking leadership roles in enterprise.”

Responding on behalf of the beneficiaries, Khalid Bababubu, who is into manufacturing and specialises in MBA, finance, and investment, thanked the Aliko Dangote Foundation, chaired by Aliko Dangote, for its immense support. “We are happy to be beneficiaries of this initiative. Education is the bedrock of national development, and we will not take this scholarship for granted.”

The initiative, titled ‘MHF Dangote Graduate Business Scholarship,’ marks a strategic shift in ADF’s long-standing partnership with the business school, transitioning from infrastructure support to direct investment in people and enterprise leadership development.

This programme is distinct from ADF’s recently announced nationwide STEM education interventions. While the STEM initiatives focus on science and technology pathways at secondary and undergraduate levels across Nigeria, the Dangote Business School scholarship is a postgraduate, institution-anchored investment designed to strengthen entrepreneurship, management capacity, and enterprise leadership.

Since the Dangote Business School complex was commissioned in 2018, ADF has supported the facility maintenance at the school. The new scholarship represents a deliberate shift from hard infrastructure to soft infrastructure, investing directly in the people who will drive enterprise, job creation, and economic growth.

The programme covers both new and returning students. Newly admitted students will receive automatic tuition reductions during registration, and returning students who have already paid in full will receive rebates. The ₦300 million allocation is structured to cover all eligible postgraduate students based on current enrolment capacity.

Any unutilised balance in the first year will be retained within the Dangote Business School development envelope to strengthen learning infrastructure and digital academic capacity, ensuring continued enhancement of the academic environment.

The mission of the Aliko Dangote Foundation is to enhance opportunities for social change through strategic investments that improve health and well-being, promote quality education, and broaden empowerment opportunities for individuals and communities.

Bayero University Kano, one of Nigeria’s foremost higher education institutions, is committed to excellence in teaching, learning, and research. The university’s Dangote Business School is a centre of excellence for postgraduate education in business, entrepreneurship, and management.