MTN Nigeria, through MTN Foundation (MTNF) has restated commitment to improve the educational standard in the country through its science and technology scholarship scheme currently underway as a support initiative to students in Nigerian institutions of higher learning.
Akinwale Goodluck, corporate services executive, MTN, and director MTNF, said MTN Foundation has put measures in place in this New Year to assist students in public tertiary institutions across the six geopolitical zones of the country.
He said the first set of 514 beneficiaries will receive their scholarships in due course following the conclusion of a very transparent and merit driven qualification exercise.
“The Foundation’s projects are complementary and are not meant to replace the work being done at the various tiers of governance but rather to complement and support. We have also done it on a much bigger scale at the university level where we have successfully deployed and commissioned digital libraries in the University of Lagos, Ahmadu Bello University and University of Nigeria, Nsukka”, he explained.
The next beneficiary is University of Benin which will be ready for commissioning early this year”, said Goodluck.
Goodluck stated that these facilities are world class and are comparable to similar facilities anywhere else in the world, and it is the hope of the MTNF to continue to rollout these initiatives and extend it to other tertiary institutions in Nigeria.
He stated that the Foundation is also providing the critical support for public schools to enable them improve the learning environment.
“The Foundation, through its “Learning Support Materials Initiative”, is distributing resource materials to public primary and secondary schools throughout the six geo-political zones of the country.
“This has enabled us to provide support for many pupils who lack basic learning materials.”
The MTN Nigeria Foundation was established in 2004 for the purpose of focusing MTNN’s efforts in terms of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative to help reduce poverty and foster sustainable development in Nigeria.
The Foundation is the vehicle through which MTN Nigeria implements its Corporate Social Investment initiatives.
The focus of the Foundation is to give back to society and impact the quality of lives in the communities where they operate in a meaningful and sustainable fashion.
Since the establishment of the Foundation, MTN Nigeria, a leading telecommunications company in Nigeria has been investing in social initiatives much of which has brought transformations to many Nigerians as well as earning the company laurels.
Last October, the company was conferred with the prestigious global award for partnership as a result of its outstanding contribution to socio-economic development of Nigeria through its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives.
The yearly award was presented to the telecommunication firm by HOPE Worldwide International, a global not-for-profit organization presently in 72 countries of the world at its global summit, in recognition of organizations (private or public) that have exhibited exceptional character in socio-economic development of their country of operation.
By Okoro Chinedu
