Foundation Names NASRDA Assistant Director As 2026 Oxford Scholarship Awardee

The Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation has announced Mrs Joy Ugonma Olayiwola as the recipient of its 2026 Aig-Imoukhuede Master in Public Policy (MPP) Scholarship to the University of Oxford.

The foundation disclosed this in a statement in Abuja yesterday

It said Olayiwola would pursue a Master of Public Policy at the Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford.

The statement said the scholarship, established in 2017, provides exceptional Nigerian public servants with the opportunity to pursue MPP at Oxford.

According to the foundation, the programme is designed to equip scholars with advanced policy knowledge, global exposure and practical skills to strengthen capacity for public service reform and improved service delivery.

It said with the 2026 award, 34 public servants had received the scholarship, forming part of a growing community of public sector professionals supported through its leadership development initiatives.

The Foundation said beneficiaries apply their learning to public-sector initiatives, including strengthening healthcare delivery, advancing institutional reform, and combating human trafficking.

It said Olayiwola is an alumna of the Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation Public Leaders Programme and an Assistant Director at the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA).

It added that Olayiwola leads the Smart Geospatial and ICT Unit at GeoApps Plus Ltd and has over 17 years of experience in public service, with expertise in digital systems, data-driven solutions and institutional capacity development.

The Executive Vice-Chair of the Foundation, Mrs Ofovwe Aig-Imoukhuede, said the scholarship reflects the Foundation’s belief in investing in people within public service.

“The Aig-Imoukhuede Scholarship reflects our belief that strengthening public service requires investment in the people working within it.

“We provide public servants with opportunities to learn, broaden their perspectives and develop the capacity to approach complex challenges with greater insight and judgement.

“We are pleased to support Joy Olayiwola as she takes this next step and look forward to how she will apply her experience to her continued work in public service,” she said.

Olayiwola said she looked forward to deepening her understanding of how policy, institutions, economics and people interact in public decision-making.

“What excites me most about Oxford is not just what I will learn in the classroom, but the opportunity to interact with public servants from different countries that I will learn alongside.

“I want to hear stories of what is working, what has not worked, what they are trying differently, and what they believe they could do better; and bring Nigeria into that conversation with an open mind.

“I do not want to approach the experience simply by comparing who is ahead or behind, but by asking what can work in our own context and how we can contribute to making it work,” she said.

The Foundation said the scholarship is one of its leadership development initiatives delivered in partnership with the Blavatnik School of Government.

It said its broader leadership portfolio includes the Public Leaders Programme and the Visiting Fellowship, which support public servants at different stages of their careers in strengthening leadership, policy and institutional capabilities.