FG Flags-Off Commonwealth Scholarship Programme As Number Of Beneficiaries Hit 30,000

The federal government has flagged off the nomination process for the 2024/2025 Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan (CSFP) interview.

The Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mammam who spoke at the opening ceremony of the programme in Abuja on Monday, stated that the award, which is managed by the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission, London remains one of the most prestigious Scholarship schemes for international studies.

Represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Andrew David Adejo, noted that the nomination process is for the most qualified Nigerians to compete globally with candidates from other Commonwealth Countries.

“It is also worth mentioning that since its inception in 1959, more than 30,000 individuals have benefited from the awards and majority of the awardees from Nigeria have returned to make significant contributions to the development of the nation, particularly in our tertiary institutions.

“The Commonwealth Alumni in Nigeria have been instrumental in making laudable contributions to governance over time. This, of course, is in line with one of the key objectives of the scheme and that is to ensure that the returnee scholars make impact in their various disciplines for the betterment of the country,” he said.

Earlier, the Director/Secretary, Federal Scholarship Board, Mrs. Asta Ndajiwo, urged the Panelists to continue to adhere to the set criteria of the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (CSC) with a view to presenting the usual high-quality candidates for the Minister’s endorsement.

“It is important to inform you that the award is highly competitive with a limited number compared to the large number of applications received yearly.

“This year, 2000 applicants applied through the Electronic Application System (EAS). The CSFP is highly prestigious as the award covers the Awardees and their Spouses, hence you should be disciplined and focused during this exercise,” she said.