Iliyasu Abdullahi Bah
The Atiku Abubakar Foundation has demonstrated its commitment to educational excellence by granting comprehensive scholarships to three outstanding Nigerian students — Nafisa Aminu (17), Rukayya Fema (15), and Hadiza Kalli — following their remarkable achievements at the prestigious 2025 TeenEagle Global Round competition in London, United Kingdom.
These young scholars, who represented Nigeria with distinction, each secured top honors in their respective categories. Rukayya emerged as the overall best in English Language proficiency, Fema dominated the debate category, and Kalli earned the Outstanding Talent Award along with a gold medal.
In an official communication to the awardees, Ahmadu Shehu, the Foundation’s Acting Secretary, outlined the transformative scope of the scholarship package, which guarantees full financial support for the remainder of their secondary education and complete university funding at any institution of their choice worldwide.
The Foundation emphasized that this initiative represents more than just financial assistance, characterizing it as both a recognition of their current accomplishments and an investment in their future potential, stating, “This is not just an offer for a few months of tuition; it is a promise to cover their education from now until they graduate from university.”
The AAF — an organization established by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar — has consistently championed educational causes in Nigeria, with particular focus on empowering female students and disadvantaged groups.
The latest gesture reinforces the Foundation’s belief that nurturing young women’s education yields exponential benefits for families, communities, and the nation at large.
The letter cited Atiku’s words: “When you invest in the education of a girl child, you are invariably investing in the education of a prospective family and community.” By providing these life-changing scholarships, the Foundation not only rewards academic excellence but also establishes these three young women as inspirational figures, demonstrating that with determination, opportunity, and proper support, Nigerian youth can compete and excel on the global stage, regardless of their socioeconomic background.
This initiative stands as a testament to AAF’s ongoing mission to bridge educational inequalities and foster national development through strategic investments in human capital, while simultaneously serving as a call to action for other organizations and individuals to contribute to similar empowerment programs that can transform the Nigerian educational landscape.