EBONYI GOVERNOR PROMISES SCHOLARSHIPS FOR 187 PIONEER ICT UNIVERSITY STUDENTS IF FEDERAL LOANS ARE UNAVAILABLE
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By: Muftau Fatimo
The Governor of Ebonyi State, Francis Nwifuru, has pledged to provide scholarships to the 187 pioneer students of the Ebonyi State University of Information and Communication Technology should they be unable to access the Federal Government–backed student loan offered through the Nigeria Education Loan Fund.
The announcement was made during the 2025/2026 matriculation ceremony held at the university’s permanent campus in Oferekpe, Izzi Local Government Area, on Saturday.
Nwifuru stated that the scholarship, if implemented, would cover the students’ tuition and academic expenses throughout their time at the institution. He emphasized that the initiative is aimed at supporting the pioneer students and enabling them to excel in their studies.
Describing the matriculation ceremony as a historic occasion, the governor noted that it marks the formal commencement of a vision initiated by past and present state leaders, including the immediate past governor, David Nweze Umahi, and is a milestone that would be remembered for generations.
According to him, the university represents a dream that has now grown into a centre for learning, innovation and technological advancement in the state.
“There was a time when the idea of establishing a specialised institution focused on information and communication technology was merely a discussion among forward-thinking leaders of this state who believed that the future belongs to knowledge, technology, and innovation,” he said.
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The governor noted that the institution was conceived as a specialised university designed to produce innovators and job creators rather than graduates who rely solely on already saturated job markets.
He said the institution’s curriculum is tailored toward entrepreneurship, skills acquisition and innovation-driven education, using modular systems that emphasise practical outcomes.
“The rate of unemployment is troubling, and entrepreneurship education can empower our young people to become self-reliant and create opportunities for others. So, we will give scholarships to the 187 pioneer students to encourage them if the NELFUND loan fails,” he said.
Nwifuru added that the leaders behind the project recognised the rapidly changing global landscape and understood that the youths of Ebonyi must not be left behind in the digital age.
He said the project moved from concept to reality through extensive planning, legislative processes, consultations and partnerships.
The governor also expressed appreciation to the host community of Oferekpe Agbaja for donating land for the establishment of the university.
He noted that the land had previously served as farmland that sustained generations of families.
“In their wisdom and love for progress, the community chose to sacrifice these lands so that knowledge could grow,” he said, praising the community’s generosity and commitment to development.
Nwifuru highlighted that the creation of the university is in line with his administration’s People’s Charter of Needs Agenda, which emphasizes education and human capital development.
He also revealed that the state government has sponsored several Ebonyi indigenes for postgraduate studies both within Nigeria and abroad, with the intention of appointing them as lecturers and technical staff at the ICT university once they complete their programs.
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