By Babalola Raimot Odunayo
The Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU) chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has awarded scholarships totaling N6.2 million to 31 indigent students of the institution.
In a statement released on Sunday, December 21, 2025, the Chairperson of ASUU-OOU, Dr. Ganiyu Yinusa, emphasized that the initiative is a testament to the union's unwavering commitment to equity, student welfare, and expanding access to higher education.
Under the scholarship intervention, each beneficiary received N200,000. The funds are specifically intended to assist students with school fees and other university-approved charges for the 2025/2026 academic session, providing a vital lifeline for those from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.
The chairperson further explained that the Indigent Students Scholarship Scheme was funded largely through voluntary donations of sitting allowances accrued from several University Council meetings by internal members of the University Council, complemented by direct financial contributions from ASUU-OOU as a branch. According to him, the "collective sacrifice underscores the union's deep sense of responsibility, solidarity, and commitment to the welfare of students within the university community."
The union lauded the University Council members for their "rare and commendable" personal sacrifice, noting that such gestures are essential for human capital development. While congratulating the recipients, ASUU urged them to remain disciplined and focused, describing the award as both a support system and a mandate for excellence.
The intervention at OOU highlights a broader national struggle where poverty remains a primary barrier to quality education. To address this on a larger scale, the federal government's Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has also reported significant progress. Akintunde Sawyerr, the Managing Director of NELFUND, recently reiterated that the fund's core mission is to ensure no eligible Nigerian student is denied higher education due to financial constraints.
Sawyerr also noted that as of December 2025, NELFUND had disbursed a total of N154.3 billion in loans to 788,947 students across the country since the scheme began 19 months ago. He explained that the beneficiaries were selected from 1,265,509 applications received since disbursements commenced on May 24, 2024. Of the total amount disbursed, N82.34 billion covered institutional fees, while N72.02 billion went to students' upkeep allowances, distributed across 262 institutions nationwide.
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