April 11, 2023

A Nigeria-based, philanthropic organisation, Abdul Samad Rabiu Africa initiative (ASR Africa) has awarded a grant of N5.5 billion to 22 tertiary institutions in Nigeria to boost infrastructure development.

Each of the 22 institutions got N250 million, under the ASR Africa Tertiary Education Grant Scheme (TEGS).

ASR Africa, Social Development Specialist, Edidiong Idang told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in New York that the initiative would continue to partner with Government and the private sector institutions in Nigeria and across Africa to support education.

“Education is one out of the three core areas of intervention for us, the other two being health and social development.

“ASR Africa has donated a total of 11 billion naira in infrastructure and educational services to 28 tertiary schools in Nigeria. This is because ASR Africa believes in raising the standard of our educational systems in Africa,” she said.

The select 22 institutions which include Federal, State, and Privately owned Universities are Bayero University Kano; Adamawa State University; Federal University of Technology Owerri and Federal University of Petroleum Resources Effurun.

Others are Nigerian Law School (Lagos); University of Uyo; University of Lagos; University of Jos; Federal College of Education Technology, Gusau; Federal University Lokoja; Nasarawa State University; University of Port Harcourt and Federal University of Technology Minna and Uthman Dan Fodio University.

Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike; Crescent University; Babcock University; Al-Qalam University; Baze University; Nigerian Defence Academy; Federal University Gashua, and the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru were also selected.

In Niger and Ghana, Idang said ASR had been working with the National Government and CSO via infrastructure grants of $500,000.00 and $3million dollars respectively, in increasing access to education for the girl child especially in hard to reach rural communities.

She said ASR was set up with an annual pledge of $100 million dollars dedicated to health, education and social development issues within the African continent.

“Our belief is that Africans need to rise to provide solutions to African problems.

“We focus our intervention in Africa and this is expressed mainly on infrastructure development, equipping facilities, capacity building for researchers, healthcare practitioners and community level service providers.

“We also support the efforts of various Governments in Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa across our three thematic areas. The Initiative provides both technical and financial resources to partners.’’

In addition, Idang said that the organisation’s internal goal is to be the most impactful philanthropic institution in Africa.

As such, the Specialist said the organisation bring to bear essential disciplines within its team to achieve project management, change management, value-for-money, ideation, design and development, monitoring and evaluation as well as subject matter expertise.

“We are committed to finding new unique and innovative ways to solve developmental challenges and intend to share with all African countries and the world what works.

“We document lessons learnt for quick dissemination and adoption across the continent.

“We recognise the need to share and archive solutions, methods and data of successes as well as failures so that future generations can sidestep our mistakes and push the boundaries for Africa’s rise into achieving the United Nations 2030 agenda for sustainable development,’’ she said.

The Abdul Samad Rabiu Africa Initiative (ASR Africa) is the brainchild of African Industrialist, Philanthropist and Chairman of BUA Group, Abdul Samad Rabiu.

It was set up to 2021 to provide sustainable, impact-based homegrown solutions to developmental issues affecting health, Education and Social Development within Africa through its annual USD100million Africa Fund for Sustainable Development and Renewal. (NAN)