Chess in Slums Africa founder, Tunde Onakoya, has joined forces with Jobs59 founder, Sam Otigba, and AltSchool Africa founder, HackSultan, to unveil a ₦250 million scholarship programme aimed at equipping corps members and fresh graduates with practical technology skills.
The initiative will sponsor successful applicants with a ₦160,000 scholarship to study any diploma course at AltSchool Africa. Beneficiaries will also enjoy career mentorship, internship opportunities and, for a number of selected participants, free laptops.
Sharing details of the programme on X, Otigba said, “We’re solving the Olodo uprising pandemic, one NYSC at a time. That’s our contribution to society.
“That’s why Tunde Onakoya, HackSultan and I are launching a ₦250 million scholarship fund to help recent graduates gain real, in-demand tech skills that lead to jobs.”
The organisers explained that each successful applicant will receive ₦10,000 to offset the application fee and ₦150,000 for tuition, bringing the total scholarship package to ₦160,000.
Eligibility
Applications are open to:
https://altschoolafrica.com/nysc#scholarship-support
Serving NYSC corps members
Prospective corps members
Recent NYSC graduates
How to apply
Interested candidates are expected to:
Access the NYSC to Tech Job scholarship application portal.
Fill out the application form with their NYSC information.
Choose a preferred diploma programme at AltSchool Africa.
Submit the completed application for screening.
Await confirmation and further admission instructions if successful.
Applicants without personal computers can also apply separately for the Laptop Scholarship Add-on, which provides free laptops to selected beneficiaries.
Courses available
Successful candidates can choose from:
AI-Powered Fullstack Engineering
Cybersecurity
Cloud Engineering
Data Analysis
Technical Product Management
Digital Marketing Automation and Sales
The programmes will last between nine and 12 months, while internship applications are expected to begin from the sixth month.
Extra benefits
Beyond tuition support, participants will have access to internship placements, job opportunities through Jobs59, career coaching and assistance in building professional portfolios.
Otigba said the initiative was created to help graduates make productive use of their NYSC period by preparing them for careers in the technology sector.
He added, “Beyond technical training, participants will also receive career support and internship/job opportunities through Jobs59.
“We also know that learning without a laptop is a major barrier, so we’ll be providing laptops to a select number of scholarship recipients through an additional application process.”
Onakoya said the programme will also help young Nigerians develop discipline, resilience and practical skills needed to thrive after completing the NYSC programme.
