By Abdullahi Alhassan, Kaduna
The MTN Nigeria Foundation has extended its Learning Support Materials Initiative to Queen Amina College, Kakuri, Kaduna, where 2,000 students received school bags, exercise books and other essential learning items.
The donation, carried out with support from UNICEF, is part of a nationwide program that has already touched more than 1,000 schools across the 36 states and the FCT.
Presenting the materials, Zubair Bashir, General Manager who represented the MTN Nigeria Foundation, said the intervention is about giving children the right tools to learn and excel.
“Every child deserves not only access to education but also access to the tools and resources needed to learn effectively and succeed,” Bashir said.
He added that in 2025, the Foundation supported 2,636 students in 7 states and also provided teaching materials to educators to strengthen classroom delivery.
Turning to the students, Bashir noted that the gesture was symbolic of more than just stationery.
“To our dear students, these materials are much more than exercise books and school bags. They represent opportunity, encouragement and our belief in your potential,” he said.
He encouraged them to be diligent and ambitious.
“Among you today are future doctors, engineers, teachers, scientists, entrepreneurs, innovators, and leaders who will shape the future of Nigeria,” Bashir stated.
He also thanked UNICEF, the Ministry of Education, teachers, parents and school management for making the program possible.
“Today’s event demonstrates the power of collaboration between government and the private sector in creating lasting impact in the lives of young Nigerians,” he noted.
Bashir further reiterated that MTN Foundation will continue investing in education, health and economic empowerment as part of its commitment to improving lives in Nigerian communities.
The Principal of Queen Amina College, Junior Session, Hajiya Zainab Muhammad, welcomed the donation, saying it arrived just as the new academic session begins.
The school, a federal unity college, has over 3,000 girls in its boarding facility from across Northern Nigeria and other parts of the country.
“What MTN did, they just didn’t do it for Queen Amina alone. They have done it for the Northern states and beyond. It is a very welcome gesture that will help the students blend and be more comfortable in their academic activities,” Muhammad said.
“I feel very happy indeed. It is a timely intervention. A lot of these students need these materials. I really appreciate what MTN did for these students,” she added.
She revealed that close to 2,000 students in the school have benefited so far and urged other companies to borrow a leaf from MTN.
“What MTN did is exceptional. I am calling on other corporate organizations to do the same. There are so many things they can bring to the doorstep of students, most especially girl students, that will be of benefit to them,” the principal said.
Some students described the support as timely and said it would ease pressure on their parents. Education stakeholders in Kaduna also praised the initiative, noting that such private sector support helps improve retention and performance, particularly for girls in boarding schools.
The Learning Support Materials Initiative remains one of MTN Nigeria Foundation’s key education programs aimed at reducing learning barriers in underserved schools.
The Foundation said it will continue the rollout in 2026, targeting more schools as part of efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s education system.
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