The Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation has commenced the screening of students for its 2024/2025 scholarship awards at Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria.
The exercise, which began on Tuesday, August 19, involves students drawn from the 19 northern states of Nigeria. It is part of the Foundation’s annual scholarship scheme, which started in 2012 but was briefly interrupted during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Welcoming the delegation on behalf of the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Adamu Ahmed, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration), Prof. Ahmed Doko Ibrahim, noted that hosting the exercise at ABU reflects recognition of the university’s role in promoting education.
The Chairman of the Foundation and Madakin Zazzau, Alhaji Munnir Jafaru, said the team was in the university to interview prospective beneficiaries, adding that the process would last one or two days. He described it as a tradition for the Foundation to pay homage to the university management during such visits and thanked ABU for providing facilities for the exercise.
Director of ABU’s Counselling and Human Development Centre, Dr. Sa’adatu Makarfi, explained that the programme was designed to support indigent but brilliant students across the North, in line with the vision of the late Sir Ahmadu Bello, founder of the university.
Prof. Ahmed commended the Foundation for sustaining the scholarship scheme and also lauded the Bola Tinubu administration for creating the National Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), which he said would ease the financial challenges faced by many students. He expressed optimism that ABU students would continue to benefit from both initiatives.
The screening team was received alongside the Vice-Chancellor’s representatives, including Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Advancement, Research and Innovation), Prof. Sanusi Aliyu Rafindadi; Acting University Librarian, Dr. Abubakar Abdullahi Mohammed; a representative of the Bursar, Malam Garba Shehu; and the Special Assistant to the Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Ibrahim Sani Kaita
