Chess champoin, Tunde Onakoya has launched the Tunde Onakoya ₦250m Scholarship in partnership with Jobs59 founder Sam Otigba and AltSchool head HackSultan, creating a ₦250 million educational endowment aimed at equipping youth corps members and fresh graduates with critical tech skills.
Under the initiative, successful candidates will receive ₦160,000 grants covering any diploma track at AltSchool Africa, alongside career mentorship, internship pathways, and complimentary laptops for top performers.
Unveiling the initiative on X on Thursday, Otigba wrote, “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 program’s sponsors are covering ₦160,000 per recipient, fully offsetting both the ₦10,000 registration cost and the ₦150,000 tuition fee.
According to Onakoya, the Tunde Onakoya ₦250m Scholarship is open to, current NYSC corps members, prospective corps members, and recent NYSC alumni.
Read Also: Tunde Onakoya Breaks Chess Marathon World Record.
How to apply
1. Visit the NYSC to Tech Job scholarship portal – https://altschoolafrica.com/nysc#scholarship-support
2. Complete the scholarship application form with your NYSC details.
3. Select your preferred AltSchool Africa diploma programme.
4. Submit your application for eligibility review.
5. Successful applicants will receive admission guidance and scholarship support.
Applicants lacking a personal computer can request the Laptop Scholarship Add-on, which awards free devices to chosen candidates to support their coursework.
Additionally, Organizers of the Tunde Onakoya ₦250m Scholarship noted that candidates must complete the main scholarship application first before submitting a separate request for laptop assistance.
Available diploma programmes
Beneficiaries can enrol in any of the following courses:
- AI-Powered Fullstack Engineering
- Cybersecurity
- Cloud Engineering
- Data Analysis
- Technical Product Management
- Digital Marketing Automation and Sales
The programmes will run for nine to twelve months, allowing participants to start applying for internships once they hit the six-month mark.
Career support
Furthermore, the organisers said scholarship recipients will also receive internship opportunities, job placement support through Jobs59, career mentorship, and guidance on building professional portfolios.
According to Otigba, the initiative aims to help young graduates transform their National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) year into a career-building opportunity.
“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,” he added.
