zThe 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.
