Stakeholders and the beneficiaries
By Tony Adibe
The famous MTN 15th Scholarships Awards 2025 was held inside the main hall of De Dome Event Centre, New Haven, Enugu, with 192 indigent students, including some virtually impaired (blind), among the beneficiaries.
NewsBits learnt that for 15 consecutive years now, the popular network provider, MTN Nigeria, has kept its promise of giving back to society. So far, MTN Nigeria has given over 5,000 scholarships and indeed, lifted as well as transformed positively, the lives of 15,000 human beings, according to the General Manager, Regional Operations East, MTN Nigeria, Mr. Calima Imimo, who addressed the gathering during his opening remarks.
“You are here because you have demonstrated excellence, brilliance, courage, and resilience in your academics,” the General Manager, Regional Operations, told those who were later formally inducted into the MTN Family Foundation. Today is more than a mere ceremony of awarding scholarships. It’s yet another declaration of our beliefs in the incoming inductees – the newest members of the MTN Foundation Scholarships Family. We are delighted to have you on board,” he said.
Imimo explained that simple philosophy upon which the scholarship program was anchored. “This scholarship was built on the initiative that every child has the right to go to school. Therefore, we believe that there should be no obstacle to prevent a brilliant indigent student from reaching the peak of their academic ambitions,” he said, as he encouraged them to stay connected to each other in order to build and sustain the MTN Family Foundation.
He said MTN would continue to assist and uplift the indigent brilliant students including the virtually challenged or handicapped ones. “Embrace the future with boldness. Beyond what we are doing here today, you are born to win,” he said.
He said that the process of selecting the beneficiaries was so transparent and devoid of any manipulation or consideration for one’s ethnicity or place of origin. Meanwhile, stakeholders and indeed, some states in the southeast zone, such as Abia, Anambra, and Enugu, have lauded the MTN Foundation for its humanitarian gestures with which it has changed the lives of some Nigerians.
Governor Peter Mbah, who was represented by the the state Commissioner for Environment, Prof. Sam C. Ugwu; the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Enugu State, Dr. Ochi Patrick, who stood in for the Commissioner for Education, and the state Commissioner for Innovation, Science and Technology, Engr. Lawrence Ezeh – all of them commended the MTN Foundation for changing lives positively in society.
“MTN is a showing example of how Private Partnership can transform lives,” said Governor Mbah, who was represented by Prof. Ugwu.
“Enugu is delighted to be associated with the MTN Foundation,” he added.
Engr. Lawrence Ezeh said that the MTN scholarship program “is about investing in human beings and innovations,” urging the beneficiaries to accept technology as the key to better their future.
“You have to embrace technology as your main tool,” Engr. Ezeh told the inductees. He further said, “Always remember that you must give back to society.”
Earlier, the Acting Vice Chancellor, Ñnamdi Azikiwe University (UniZik), Awka, Prof. Arinze Imeobi, represented by Dr. Ifeoma Nnaji of the Centre for Disability & Special Needs Research UniZik, thanked MTN for “impacting a lot of our students,” adding: “We have benefitted a lot from this MTN impactful venture.”
