Sterling Bank Names First Beneficiaries Of ₦2bn ‘Beyond Education’ Fund

Sterling Bank has announced the first recipients of its N2 billion Beyond Education Scholarship, a nationwide initiative designed to fund university education for 600 exceptional young Nigerians and connect them to future careers in high-impact sectors.

The bank said on Thursday that the announcement reflects a major step in its commitment to long-term, inclusive national development through strategic investment in human capital.

Also, the bank stated that: “At its core, the Beyond Education program is built not just to provide scholarships, but to create real-world pathways to employment and socio-economic mobility.”

Launched in June 2025, Beyond Education is Sterling Bank’s most ambitious education-focused intervention to date. The scholarship fully covers undergraduate tuition at two forward-looking, accredited institutions: Miva Open University, Nigeria’s first licensed online private university, and Hillside University of Science & Technology (HUST), a STEM-centred campus in Ekiti State.

“Unlike conventional scholarship programmes, Beyond Education is intentionally designed to support Nigeria’s critical development agenda. It aligns with Sterling’s HEART strategy, an investment framework focused on Health, Education, Agriculture, Renewable Energy, and Transportation. The goal is to build a talent pipeline for sectors vital to the country’s future,” it stated.

“This is more than a scholarship,” Growth Executive for Consumer and Business Banking at Sterling Bank, Obinna Ukachukwu, said, adding that it’s a national development strategy. “We’re closing the gap between education and employability. Our mission is to prepare young people for the future of work in sectors that matter most to Nigeria’s progress.”

The bank also said: “The inaugural winners are: Abdulahi Afolabi, Damilare Tijani, Abdulwahab Eniafe, Abubakar Isah, Tahir Enesi Ibrahim, Julius Agbene Agbo, Chinedu Kelechi Patrick, Ayomide Ojo, Fyneseed Nwogu, Miracle Woyinmomoemi Daniel, Serene Clinton, Temiloluwa Orekunrin, Udeme Umoh, Victor Esogwa, Rosemary Kosipre, Ali Mohammed, Usman Isiaka Ololade, Kayode Aikulola, Saviour Philip, Ademola Afolabi, Emmanuel Enekwa, Bashir Sani Ibrahim, Ezekiel Adeseye, Deborah Umeaku, Abba Kaka Lawan, Haisam Sunusi Mahmuda, John Gumuan, Afan Ajiji, Bajepade Kehinde, and Chioma Igwe.”

Sterling Bank also stated that while the scholarship covers full tuition, recipients are responsible for associated costs such as internet access, learning materials, and living expenses.