By Tony Obiechina, Abuja

The Federal Government has intensified efforts to strengthen education, innovation, and human capital development with a series of initiatives spanning student entrepreneurship, foreign scholarships, and examination reforms.

In a major boost for youth innovation, the administration of Bola Tinubu has shortlisted 65 student innovators from over 30,000 applicants across 404 tertiary institutions for the final stage of the Student Venture Capital Grant (SVCG).

The programme, implemented by the Federal Ministry of Education in partnership with the Bank of Industry, offers up to N50 million in equity-free funding to commercially viable student-led ventures.

Minister of Education, Maruf Alausa, described the initiative as a strategic investment in future job creators, noting that the finalists will undergo an intensive bootcamp from March 26 to 29, 2026. The programme will culminate in an awards ceremony where successful beneficiaries will be announced.

Parallel to this, the Niger Delta Development Commission has opened applications for its 2026/2027 Foreign Master’s Postgraduate Scholarship Programme. Targeted at candidates from oil-producing states, the fully funded scheme aims to equip young Nigerians with global skills relevant to local content development.

Eligible applicants must possess at least a second-class upper degree, be under 40 years, and secure admission into a recognised overseas university. The selection process includes a computer-based test in Rivers State and multiple verification stages. Applications opened on March 23 and will close on April 19, 2026.

Meanwhile, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has directed candidates for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) to print their mock examination notification slips ahead of the March 28 test.

JAMB Registrar, Is-haq Oloyede, announced key reforms, including the trial of a new test engine and the extension of the mock examination duration from two to four hours. The exercise will now be conducted in two sessions on the same day to better familiarise candidates with the Computer-Based Test system.

The board also warned that participation is mandatory for candidates who opted for the mock, stressing that absence could attract sanctions. The main UTME is scheduled to begin on April 16, 2026, with enhanced security measures in collaboration with the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.

Collectively, the initiatives signal a coordinated push by the Federal Government to promote innovation, expand educational opportunities, and modernise assessment systems in line with global standards.

Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, on Friday, reiterated the importance of education, even as he announced a personal donation of N100 million to support the educational and empowerment initiatives of the Senator representing Enugu West, Senator Osita Ngwu.

Ngwu announced on Friday a scholarship and bursary award of N250 million to approximately 5000 students of Enugu West Senatorial District under his Enugu West Academy (EWA).

Akpabio, who was the special guest at the event held in Enugu, described himself as a “proud and passionate in-law” of Enugu State.

Akpabio, visibly moved by the scale of the “Enugu West Academy”—which reportedly trains nearly 9,000 participants—pointed out that such grassroots investments are the remedy to criminality and poverty.

“I came here thinking I would leave within an hour for another function, but seeing the magnitude of what is happening, I told my pilot to stand down,” Akpabio told the cheering crowd. “This is an uncommon project. While some are giving out clay pots and burial materials, implying their people should die, Osita is doling out hope and telling children to go to school”, he said

Akpabio used the occasion to reaffirm his deep ancestral and academic ties to the state, stressing that his late uncle, Dr. I.U. Akpabio, served as the Minister of Education in the former Eastern Region and played a pivotal role in the founding of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN).

“I am an honorary scholar and a PhD holder from the University of Nigeria. There is a hall named after my family there,” he stated. He also acknowledged his wife’s role in the state’s development, noting that as a daughter of the soil, she was currently on the ground preparing for the upcoming visit of the First Lady of the Federation, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.

In a lighthearted yet firm address to the Speaker of the Enugu State House of Assembly, Akpabio urged the legislature to codify a “Marriage Account” law. He joked that all prominent in-laws of the state, whether in business or politics, should be mandated to return annually to give an account of their contributions to the state’s development.

“I come every year to give an account of my marriage. Let all our in-laws do the same. We have good products in Enugu, and they are very marketable. Please, when you pass that law, add my name as the first to comply,” he remarked, drawing laughter from the dignitaries, including the Deputy Governor of Enugu State.

He said he had completed several road projects in Enugu, including a 1.6km asphalted road to a monastery, a 1.5km road in Opi, Nsukka, and the upcoming 2025 Delta Water Scheme aimed at providing potable water to several communities.

Reflecting on his own journey, Akpabio shared how he began his scholarship program in 1988, immediately after graduation. He challenged the beneficiaries of the Enugu West Academy to pay it forward, citing a story of a pilot he once trained who later flew him on a commercial flight.

Senator Ngwu noted that the 2024/2026 scholarship distribution was part of efforts to improve knowledge and investment in the young people of the zone.

He said the most important investment any leader can make is human capacity development, stressing that education empowers citizens to think, innovate, and lead.

He said that in 2024, no fewer than 18 exceptional students studying across Universities in Nigeria received scholarships totalling N81 million through his Academy.

While congratulating those who benefited from the exercise this year, he assured that he would continue to contribute to his philosophy: “Leave no child behind in Enugu West Zone”.

The University of Mkar, Benue State, has established a Students Innovation Hub aimed at empowering students to develop practical solutions to societal challenges.

The initiative followed a challenge issued by development expert, Dr. Jeffrey Kuraun, during the institution’s 19th Distinguished Public Lecture held recently in Gboko.

Speaking at the lecture themed “Navigating an Uncertain Future: Courage, Creativity and Responsibility in Times of Crisis,” Kuraun urged students to move beyond passive learning and embrace innovation, creativity and problem-solving.

He stressed the need for universities to establish Student Innovation Labs where young people can transform ideas into practical solutions capable of addressing Nigeria’s pressing development challenges.

Responding to the call, the university community set up the Students Innovation Hub as a collaborative space where students can meet, exchange ideas and develop projects with real-world impact.

The hub is designed to promote creativity, teamwork and interdisciplinary collaboration among students, while also providing mentorship opportunities from faculty members and industry experts.

According to the concept presented during the lecture, such innovation labs allow students to work on real challenges within their communities while gaining practical skills that complement classroom learning.

The space will also encourage collaboration between students, entrepreneurs and development partners to help transform academic ideas into viable initiatives.

Carrying the motto “Think. Imagine. Create”, the hub seeks to inspire students to see themselves as solution-builders rather than mere observers of national problems.

Kuraun further challenged students to acquire practical competencies such as digital literacy, entrepreneurship, agriculture and data analysis to better prepare for an uncertain future.

He urged young people to apply knowledge to community problems, build financial resilience and work across disciplines to create scalable solutions.

The newly established hub is expected to serve as a platform where ideas developed by students can evolve into impactful projects that contribute to national development.

University officials said the initiative could serve as a model for institutions across Nigeria seeking to promote innovation, ethical leadership and problem-solving among students.