In another major boost for education, Governor Dikko Umaru Radda has approved the release of ₦677.6 million for bursary allowances, academic excellence awards, and special needs scholarships to Katsina students studying in tertiary institutions across Nigeria.
The gesture reaffirms the Governor’s commitment to empowering youths through education — a central pillar of his Building Your Future agenda — which prioritizes human capital development as a key driver of sustainable progress.
According to the breakdown, ₦283.5 million will be disbursed as bursary allowances to newly admitted students in universities, polytechnics, and colleges nationwide. Another ₦15 million has been allocated for the Katsina State Government Award of Academic Excellence, celebrating First-Class graduates, while ₦7 million will support students with special needs under the Annual Special Scholarship Programme.
This latest approval follows the earlier release of ₦372 million in September for continuing students, bringing the total allocation for the 2024/2025 academic year to ₦677,572,815.
With this move, Katsina’s total scholarship investment since Governor Radda assumed office has soared to over ₦2.6 billion, directly benefiting tens of thousands of students across Nigeria and abroad.
Education as Investment, Not Expense
Executive Secretary of the Katsina State Scholarship Board, Dr. Aminu Salisu Tsauri, hailed the Governor’s decision as a landmark investment in the state’s future.
“His Excellency has once again demonstrated that he sees education not as an expense but as a long-term investment in the prosperity of Katsina State,” Dr. Tsauri stated.
He noted that the initiative has rekindled hope among students, especially those from low-income families, ensuring that academic dreams are not cut short by financial hardship.
Dr. Tsauri commended the Governor for sustaining transparency and merit-based selection, assuring that “every kobo of the approved funds will reach the intended beneficiaries.”
Award letters, he disclosed, will be distributed to beneficiaries in their respective institutions beginning Tuesday, October 28, 2025, while newly admitted Katsina students currently in the Nigerian Law School are expected to report to the Scholarship Board Headquarters for documentation between Monday, October 27 and Thursday, October 30, 2025.
Beyond domestic interventions, the Radda administration has expanded its educational reach internationally. Katsina students from all 34 local governments are currently enrolled in foreign universities through the state’s scholarship programme — studying Artificial Intelligence at Xi’an Shiyou University, China; Bioengineering at Xuzhou University of Technology, China; and Medicine and Surgery (MBBS) at Nahda University, Egypt.
Governor Radda’s goal, according to government officials, is to build a generation of global citizens equipped with modern skills to drive innovation, healthcare, and technology advancement.
Since coming to power, Governor Radda has made steady progress in student support, disbursing ₦637.9 million for 47,935 students (2020/2021–2021/2022), ₦544.2 million for 37,802 students (2021/2022–2022/2023), and ₦744.1 million for 50,438 students (2022/2023–2023/2024).
These consistent interventions, Dr. Tsauri emphasized, show that Governor Radda’s educational vision is “about purpose, not politics”.
“The Governor has given Katsina youth a reason to believe that hard work and merit will always be rewarded,” he said.
With each phase of support, the Radda administration continues to cement Katsina’s reputation as a leader in educational advancement and youth empowerment in Northern Nigeria.
Through sustained bursary payments, global scholarships, and inclusiveness for students with disabilities, Governor Radda is ensuring that every Katsina child — regardless of background — has the opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive.
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