Some of the beneficiaries of the female medical and nursing scholarships in University of Maiduguri with the Daily Trust Foundation Programme Officer, Ele Sunday Ifah

The Board of Trustees of the Daily Trust Foundation has announced the award of 13 fresh scholarships to female medical and nursing students in three universities in Nigeria.

The awards were announced by the Chairman of the Board, Mallam Bilya Bala, at the end of the 36th Board Meeting of the Foundation on Wednesday, October 28, 2025.

The objective of the scholarship is to promote girl-child education and encourage women to take an interest in the health profession.

The awarded beneficiaries were selected from 200 Level Medical and Nursing students of the University of Maiduguri, Borno State, the University of Ilorin, Kwara State, and the Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto.

“I can say with joy and pride that Daily Trust was a major part of my growing up, and so when I got selected for the scholarship, I felt like my dad, who passed on in 2017, sent me a guardian angel to support me…

Now in its 14th year, the scholarship programme has been part of the Foundation’s broader initiative to empower young women through education. The programme currently supports a total of 90 female students—30 from each university.

Over the years, about 300 female Medical and Nursing students have benefited from the scholarship scheme. Many have since graduated and now work in local and international hospitals as consultants.

For many of the recipients, the scholarship was not just a financial relief but a powerful endorsement of their aspirations to serve their communities through Medicine and Nursing.

One of the recipients of this year’s award, Elizabeth David Ankama, made the following remarks about the Foundation:

“My name is Elizabeth David Ankama. I am indigenous to Gombe State. I am currently a 500-level Nursing student at the University of Maiduguri, and a happy scholar of the Daily Trust Foundation scholarship for female students studying Medicine or Nursing.

“My dad loved the Daily Trust newspaper, and for every day he brought the paper, I would make sure to read it the next day. I will solve the Sudoku puzzles on the pages, read the expert columns… and sadly, the countdown of days the Chibok girls had been in captivity…

“I can say with joy and pride that Daily Trust was a major part of my growing up, and so when I got selected for the scholarship, I felt like my dad, who passed on in 2017, sent me a guardian angel to support me, or better still, he was reminding me of his constant love for me every time the scholarship money entered my account. I am super-grateful. In the future, as God helps me to acquire wealth, I will contribute my quota to society by supporting students as well. Thank you so much, Daily Trust Foundation, for being part of my story.”

Another beneficiary, Amina Aminu, a Medicine student at Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, says: “The scholarship has been of immense help. We pray that the Almighty continues to bless and reward everyone involved abundantly.”

At this year’s award, the Board of the Foundation reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining the initiative, emphasizing the importance of investing in girl-child education as a catalyst for national development and improved healthcare delivery. (Daily Trust)