The Chairman of Lagos Island Local Government, Hon. Taiwo Oyekan, has awarded bursaries to more than 200 indigent students as part of efforts to expand access to tertiary education and ease the financial burden on families.

The bursary presentation, held on Tuesday, forms part of the council’s education support programme aimed at promoting academic excellence and human capital development within the local government.

Under the initiative, undergraduate medical students received ₦100,000 each, while beneficiaries studying Social Sciences and Management Sciences were awarded ₦50,000 each.

The exercise followed the inauguration of a five-member bursary committee tasked with screening applicants to ensure a transparent and merit-based selection process.

Represented at the event by the Vice Chairman, Hon. Arulai Folami, Oyekan said the bursary scheme reflects his administration’s commitment to ensuring that financial constraints do not prevent deserving students from pursuing higher education.

He noted that the intervention is expected to reduce school dropout rates, support parents and guardians struggling with rising education costs, and encourage academic excellence among students from Lagos Island.

According to him, the initiative complements the Federal Government’s Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) while aligning with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritises improved access to education.

Oyekan urged the beneficiaries to remain focused on their studies and justify the confidence reposed in them through academic excellence and exemplary conduct.

“You must remain committed to your education and become worthy ambassadors of Lagos Island,” he said.

Chairman of the Bursary Committee, Hon. Moshood Maiyegun, also encouraged the students to maintain discipline and strive for outstanding academic performance, describing education as the foundation for personal and national development.

Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Adediran Habideen Adeyemi expressed gratitude to the council chairman for the financial support, saying the bursary would ease the burden on students and their families while enabling recipients to concentrate on their studies.

The bursary programme is one of several education-focused initiatives introduced by the Oyekan administration. Other interventions include the provision of free school buses, distribution of learning materials, free summer coaching classes, and the distribution of free JAMB/UTME and GCE registration forms.

The latest intervention also comes amid the council’s broader social investment drive aimed at improving education, youth development and community welfare across Lagos Island.

Oyekan reaffirmed his administration’s resolve to continue investing in education, describing it as a critical pillar for sustainable development and the future prosperity of the local government area.