A new ₦250 million scholarship fund has been launched to equip National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members and recent graduates with high-demand digital skills, offering a crucial boost to graduate employability in Nigeria.
The project is a collaborative effort between Chess in Slums Africa founder Tunde Onakoya, Jobs59 founder Sam Otigba, and AltSchool Africa founder HackSultan. Successful candidates will receive ₦160,000 each, covering ₦10,000 for application fees and ₦150,000 toward tuition, to enrol in diploma courses at AltSchool Africa.
Organisers noted that participants will also benefit from portfolio development, mentorship, and job placements via Jobs59. To address hardware limitations, candidates without computers can apply for a laptop grant following their initial application. Youth development partner Tunde Onakoya highlighted that the initiative aims to build discipline and practical career skills, helping participants navigate life beyond the NYSC scheme.
“We’re solving the Olodo uprising pandemic, one NYSC at a time. That’s our contribution to society,” Otigba announced on X on Thursday. “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.”
Programme Overview
The nine-to-12-month diplomas allow students to begin applying for internships by their sixth month.
Eligible Applicants: Current NYSC members, prospective corps members, and recent NYSC alumni.
Available Diplomas:
AI-Powered Fullstack Engineering
Cybersecurity
Cloud Engineering
Data Analysis
Technical Product Management
Digital Marketing Automation and Sales
Application Process
1. Visit the portal at [https://altschoolafrica.com/nysc#scholarship-support].
2. Fill in the application form using your NYSC credentials.
3. Choose a preferred AltSchool Africa diploma course.
4. Submit the form for eligibility assessment.
5. Await admission instructions and funding approval upon selection.