BUA chair gives UNILAG, BUK, NDA, 19 others N5.5bn grant

Nigeria’s business mogul and Chairman of BUA Group, Alhaji Abdul Samad Rabiu, has awarded a grant of N5.5 billion to 22 tertiary institutions in Nigeria to boost infrastructure development.

The grants were awarded through his philanthropic organisation, Abdul Samad Rabiu Africa initiative (ASR Africa).

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

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.

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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 N11 billion 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.

In Niger and Ghana, Idang said ASR had been working with the National Government and CSO via infrastructure grants of $500,000 and $3 million 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 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.”

Abdul Samad Rabiu Africa Initiative (ASR Africa) was set up in 2021 to provide sustainable, impact-based homegrown solutions to developmental issues affecting health, Education and Social Development within Africa through its annual $100 million Africa Fund for Sustainable Development and Renewal.

The Star