KATSINA — Governor Dikko Umaru Radda of Katsina State has approved a 100 per cent increase in student bursary allowances and flagged off the disbursement of ₦689.79 million to 19,318 students across 97 institutions for the 2025/2026 academic session.
Speaking at the Katsina State Institute of Technology and Management, Radda said the review ended 18 years of stagnant bursary rates dating back to 2007 and was intended to ease the financial burden on students and their parents.
He announced higher increases for students in Veterinary Medicine, with allowances for those in 300 and 400 levels raised by 150 per cent, while students in 500 and 600 levels would receive a 200 per cent increase.
The governor also approved ₦500,000 each for 56 Katsina indigenes studying at the Nigerian Law School, amounting to ₦28 million.
On foreign scholarships, Radda said the state was sponsoring 118 students studying in Egypt, Ethiopia and China. The beneficiaries include 41 medical students in Egypt, 10 in Ethiopia, 33 studying Artificial Intelligence and 34 studying Bioengineering in China.
He said the government’s upkeep commitment for the foreign scholarship beneficiaries exceeded ₦1.7 billion, in addition to tuition, accommodation and health insurance.
According to the governor, total bursary payments and student awards by his administration had exceeded ₦3.29 billion, compared with more than ₦2.6 billion previously disbursed.
Radda also announced a new local scholarship scheme for 1,700 students, comprising 50 top-performing NECO and WAEC candidates from each of the state’s 34 local government areas.
The beneficiaries are expected to study Nursing, Engineering, Information and Communication Technology, Agriculture and Education in state-owned institutions.
He urged the Katsina State Scholarship Board to maintain transparency, proper verification and accountability in the management of public funds.
Dr. Aminu Salisu Tsauri
Earlier, the Executive Secretary of the board, Dr. Aminu Salisu Tsauri, said improved digital verification had enabled it to return ₦86 million in unclaimed bursary funds to the state government.
Tsauri added that 14,925 new applicants had been screened for payment before the end of 2026.
He also disclosed that a ₦3.27 billion scholarship package had been provided for 44 students at Nahda University in Egypt.
Alhaji Sani Aliyu JB Daura
The Commissioner for Higher, Technical and Vocational Education, Sani Aliyu JB Daura, and the Commissioner for Local Government and Emirates Affairs, Bashir Tanimu, said the interventions reflected the administration’s stated commitment to expanding access to education.
Radda urged the beneficiaries to remain focused on their studies and uphold good conduct.
