BY IDAHOSA MUSA
BENIN CITY – In a landmark public-private partnership aimed at expanding access to tertiary education, the Edo State Government and OPay Digital Services have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to provide financial support for indigent students at Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma.
The agreement, which will see AAU benefit from a share of a N1.2 billion grant under OPay’s national scholarship initiative, marks a significant intervention in the drive to make higher education more inclusive in Edo State.
Speaking before the MoU signing, Ms Sally Suleiman, Special Adviser to Governor Monday Okpebholo on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), hailed the partnership as a milestone in the state’s efforts to achieve SDG 4, which targets inclusive and equitable quality education for all.
“This is more than a financial agreement, it’s a step towards removing barriers that have held back too many bright young people from pursuing higher education,” Suleiman said.
“We are proud that AAU has joined this circle of institutions whose students will benefit from OPay’s decade-long CSR initiative.”
She noted that the first batch of scholarship awards will be presented during the official signing ceremony and expressed appreciation to OPay for recognising the importance of investing in students from underserved backgrounds.
The initiative, which is part of OPay’s broader Corporate Social Responsibility programme, is designed to assist students from low-income families across 20 selected Nigerian tertiary institutions.
AAU is now the latest addition to that list, a move Suleiman described as “timely and strategic for the state.”
She reaffirmed the state government’s readiness to deepen collaboration with private sector actors to fast-track the delivery of the United Nations SDGs.
“We remain focused on translating our development goals into real, measurable change that directly improves lives,” she said.
Also present at the ceremony were the Acting Vice Chancellor of AAU, Prof. Sunday Olowo Samuel, and OPay’s Head of Partnerships, Ikponmwosa Kolawole Odiase, who both expressed optimism about the long-term impact of the initiative on students and the university community.
