The Enugu International Conference Centre was filled with excitement last Friday as Godswill Akpabio, president of the Senate, attended the 2025/2026 Scholarship and Bursary Awards ceremony organised by Senator Osita Ngwu for students from Enugu West Senatorial Zone.
Akpabio, who was accompanied by Ifeanyi Ossai, deputy governor of Enugu State, commended Ngwu for what he described as one of the most significant educational support programmes undertaken by any senator in the current National Assembly.
Ngwu disclosed that about 4,000 students from the senatorial zone were benefiting from the 2025/2026 scholarship and bursary scheme, which is valued at N250 million. In recognition of the initiative, Akpabio announced a personal donation of N100 million to support the programme.
According to the Senate President, the initiative represents a meaningful investment in the future of both Enugu State and Nigeria.
“Senator Osita Ngwu is laying a foundation for the leaders of tomorrow. He is encouraging our youths to go to school and become better Nigerians. God Almighty will reward you. I am very proud of you,” Akpabio said.
He noted that he had been supporting students through similar educational programmes since 1988 and urged politicians and wealthy Nigerians to adopt educational empowerment as a tradition.
Akpabio added that the scale of the programme compelled him to delay his earlier plans.
“I came here thinking I would leave within an hour for another function, but seeing the magnitude of what is happening, I told my pilot to stand down. This is an uncommon project,” he said.
Speaking earlier, Senator Ngwu explained that his passion for educational support began nearly three decades ago when he started assisting students informally.
While studying Engineering at the Enugu State University of Science and Technology, he would return to his hometown of Ngwo after lectures to teach students preparing for the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board examinations free of charge.
That small effort, he said, eventually grew into the Enugu West Academy (EWA), a structured educational support initiative now serving thousands of students across the five local government areas in the senatorial district.
“The vision began in a small room about three decades ago, but today it has grown into a district-wide movement impacting more than 3,500 students through tutoring, mentorship, technology-enabled learning and scholarship support,” Ngwu explained.
He revealed that in 2025 alone, the academy provided free UTME preparation classes and registration for more than 2,600 students across the district.
Currently, the academy has over 4,000 students enrolled across 19 physical learning centres and online platforms, supported by more than 175 teachers.
Ngwu also commended the Governor of Enugu State, Peter Mbah, for approving the use of public facilities for the academy’s learning centres.
According to him, the support from the state government has played a crucial role in expanding the programme.
The senator further disclosed that about 65 per cent of participating students scored above 200 in the 2025 UTME, while more than 30 candidates scored above 300, reflecting the impact of the initiative.
Kanayochukwu Ani, director and head of Strategy at the Enugu West Academy, also speaking, described the initiative as a community-driven platform that has continued to deliver positive educational outcomes.
“What began as a simple desire by Senator Osita Ngwu to help students succeed has grown into a platform that supports families across Enugu West. Today’s scholarships reinforce the message that education still matters and that our young people are worth investing in,” he said.
One of the highlights of the ceremony was the presentation of a cheque worth N5.5 million to offset the school fees of three postgraduate students who previously benefited from the academy.
A symbolic cheque was also presented to scholarship recipients who scored 300 and above in the UTME. Beneficiaries in the Merit Scholarship category, who scored between 290 and 299, also received awards, while another group of students benefited from the Special Recognition Bursary, which was granted irrespective of UTME scores.
Among dignitaries present at the ceremony were some members of the National Assembly, including Kelvin Chukwu, Onyeka Nwebonyi and Anayo Onwuegbu, as well as traditional rulers and political leaders. The newly elected APC Chairman in the state, Martin Chukwunwike, also attended the event.
Governor Mbah, who was represented by Deputy Governor, Ossai, praised Ngwu’s initiative, describing it as a demonstration of commitment to human capital development.
“Unlike the executive arm, legislators do not directly control large public funds. Therefore, it takes a lot of dedication and hard work for Senator Osita Ngwu to implement a programme of this magnitude,” he said.
Ossai also noted that Enugu State stands out in Africa in terms of the number of higher education institutions.
“There is no state in Africa with the number of higher institutions — both public and private — that Enugu State has. The government is investing over N1.5 billion per ward to rebuild the eco-school system in the state,” he added.
He assured that the state government would continue to support the Enugu West Academy and other initiatives aimed at improving educational opportunities for young people.
