Chess in Slums Africa founder, Tunde Onakoya, has partnered with Jobs59 founder, Sam Otigba, and AltSchool Africa founder, HackSultan, to launch a ₦250 million scholarship programme aimed at equipping corps members and recent graduates with in-demand technology skills.
The initiative will provide scholarships worth ₦160,000 to successful applicants to study any diploma programme at AltSchool Africa. Beneficiaries will also receive career support, internship opportunities and, for selected applicants, free laptops.
Announcing the programme on Thursday via X, Otigba said the initiative seeks to help young Nigerians build employable digital skills.
“We’re solving the Olodo uprising pandemic, one NYSC at a time. That’s our contribution to society…That’s why Tunde Onakoya, HackSultan and I are launching a ₦250 million scholarship fund to help recent graduates gain real, in-demand tech skills that lead to jobs” – Otigba, Jobs59 founder
According to the organisers, each successful applicant will receive ₦10,000 toward the application fee and ₦150,000 toward tuition, bringing the total scholarship value to ₦160,000.
The scholarship is open to serving members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), prospective corps members and recent NYSC alumni.
Interested applicants are required to complete an online application through the AltSchool Africa scholarship portal, provide their NYSC details, select a preferred diploma programme and submit their application for review.
Applicants who do not own a laptop can also apply for an additional laptop scholarship, which will provide selected beneficiaries with free devices to support their studies.
Available diploma programmes include AI-Powered Fullstack Engineering, Cybersecurity, Cloud Engineering, Data Analysis, Technical Product Management, and Digital Marketing Automation and Sales.
Beyond technical training, beneficiaries will also receive internship opportunities, job placement support through Jobs59, career mentorship and portfolio development guidance.
Onakoya said the initiative is designed to help young Nigerians develop practical career skills while preparing them for opportunities beyond the NYSC programme.
