Lokoja:Governor Ahmed Ododo of Kogi State has initiated the distribution of a N646.8 million bursary allowance to 20,347 verified tertiary students across Nigeria.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the disbursement was launched at the Government House in Lokoja during the event ‘Gov. Ododo Students Support Season 2’. The Executive Chairman of the Kogi State Scholarship Board, Mr. Afolabi Joseph-Raji, announced the revival of the bursary scheme, which had not been paid since 2019, and its recommencement in 2024.
Joseph-Raji highlighted that the allowance for undergraduates has been raised from N12,000 to N30,000, while medical students will receive N75,000, up from the previous N18,000. Additionally, the governor eliminated the N650 scratch-card fee needed for accessing the bursary portal, making the application process free, paperless, and transparent.
In the 2024/2025 academic session, the board disbursed N256.4 million to 8,549 undergraduates and N60.3 million to law students. Furthermore, other schol
arship interventions amounted to N261 million. For the 2025/2026 bursary, 20,347 students have been verified, with the total commitment at N646.8 million. Payments will be phased, starting with students in Kogi State’s institutions.
The first tranche of N403 million will cover 13,157 students within the state. Students in over 300 institutions outside the state will receive payments in the second tranche.
Mr. Wemi Jones, Commissioner for Education, speaking for the governor, praised the National Association of Kogi State Students (NAKOSS) for their patience during the disbursement delay. He emphasized that education received the largest state budget allocation at 30 percent and acknowledged former Governor Yahaya Bello’s contributions to state university development.
Jones noted the increase in beneficiaries from Season 1 to Season 2 as a significant expansion. He urged students to utilize the Federal Government’s Nigerian Education Loan Fund, pointing out that few students were benefiting from it.
Mr. Su
nday Simon, outgoing NAKOSS President, expressed gratitude for the government’s support and urged the inclusion of students outside the state, ensuring no eligible student is excluded from the bursary program.