Paradigm Initiative has opened applications for the 2026 Taiwo Bankole Scholarship, which provides four-year university scholarships to 10 young people from Ajegunle, Lagos, to study Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics or Law at public institutions in Nigeria.

The PNI, in a statement on Wednesday, said the recipients would include five young men and five young women aged 17 to 25, expanding access to higher education for young people from underserved backgrounds, especially those from low-income households.

PIN has opened applications for the 2026 Taiwo Bankole Scholarship, which will provide full four-year university scholarships to 10 young people from Ajegunle, Lagos, to study Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) or Law at public institutions in Nigeria.

“The new awards will support five young men and five young women aged 17–25, building on the scholarship’s existing support for 12 students from Ajegunle, the community that hosted PIN in its early days. The initiative aims to expand access to higher education for young people from underserved backgrounds, particularly those from low-income households.

“To be eligible, applicants must be between 17 and 25 years of age, have secured admission to a public university in Nigeria to study a course in STEM or Law, and be residents of Ajegunle. Persons from low-income households are especially encouraged to apply,” PIN.

It stated that the scholarship is premised on the initiative’s desire to give back to the community where it started and the recognition that STEM and Law are critical to Africa’s future, from building the technologies that power everyday life to shaping the laws and policies that protect rights online and offline.

Expressing displeasure that many young people with the ability and ambition to pursue these fields are held back by the cost of tertiary education, the PIN said its investment in young men and women from Ajegunle in equal numbers aims to nurture a new generation of innovators, problem-solvers and advocates who can drive change in their communities and beyond.

“Applications close on 6 November 2026,” it noted.

According to the statement, the scholarship honours the legacy of Taiwo Bankole Ogunyemi, who played an important role in Paradigm Initiative’s early work in Ajegunle through his contributions to youth empowerment, digital skills development, and community initiatives.

The scholarship, established under PIN’s Ajegunle Legacy Project, continues the legacy by helping young people in the community access higher education and pursue their ambitions, regardless of financial barriers.

It stated that the scholarship, across its regional offices in Cameroon, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and beyond, has impacted over 150,000 youth with improved livelihoods through its digital inclusion and digital rights programs, including the Life Skills, ICT, Financial Readiness, and Entrepreneurship (LIFE) training programme, a digital readiness workshop for girls, and a life at school club programme.

“We have also built online platforms that educate and serve as safe spaces for reporting digital rights violations. These mediums, in the form of reports, short films, and educational online platforms, include Ayeta, Londa, and Ripoti,” it added.