By Abdullahi Alhassan, Kaduna Nearly 2,000 students of Queen Amina College, Kakuri, Kaduna, have received school bags, exercise ...
Nearly 2,000 students of Queen Amina College, Kakuri, Kaduna, have received school bags, exercise books and other learning materials from the MTN Nigeria Foundation, as the telecom giant ramps up support for public education nationwide.
The distribution, done in partnership with UNICEF, is the latest leg of the Foundation’s Learning Support Materials Initiative, which has now reached more than 1,000 schools across the 36 states and the FCT.
Speaking at the event, Zubair Bashir, General Manager representing MTN Nigeria Foundation, said the goal is to remove basic barriers that hold children back in class.
“Every child deserves not only access to education but also access to the tools and resources needed to learn effectively and succeed,” Bashir said.
He disclosed that in 2025 alone, 2,636 students across 7 states benefited from the same support, with teachers also receiving instructional materials to improve classroom delivery.
For the students at Queen Amina, Bashir said the donation goes beyond books and bags. “To our dear students, these materials are much more than exercise books and school bags. They represent opportunity, encouragement and our belief in your potential,” he told the excited crowd.
He urged them to stay focused and disciplined. “Among you today are future doctors, engineers, teachers, scientists, entrepreneurs, innovators, and leaders who will shape the future of Nigeria,” Bashir added.
The Foundation’s representative also appreciated teachers, parents, the Ministry of Education and UNICEF for their partnership. “Today’s event demonstrates the power of collaboration between government and the private sector in creating lasting impact in the lives of young Nigerians,” he said.
He reaffirmed MTN Foundation’s commitment to sustainable interventions in education, health and economic empowerment
The Principal of Queen Amina College, Junior Session, Hajiya Zainab Muhammad, described the intervention as timely and much needed at the start of a new session.
Queen Amina College is a federal unity school with over 3,000 girls in its boarding house, drawn from across Northern Nigeria and beyond.
“What MTN did, they just didn’t do it for Queen Amina alone. They have done it for the Northern states and beyond. It is a very welcome gesture that will help the students blend and be more comfortable in their academic activities,” Muhammad said.
“I feel very happy indeed. It is a timely intervention. A lot of these students need these materials. I really appreciate what MTN did for these students,” she added.
According to her, almost 2,000 students have so far benefited from the learning kits at the school.
The principal also challenged other corporate bodies to step up, particularly in support of girl-child education.
“What MTN did is exceptional. I am calling on other corporate organizations to do the same. There are so many things they can bring to the doorstep of students, most especially girl students, that will be of benefit to them,” she said.
Some beneficiaries who spoke at the event described the support as a huge relief and appealed to other companies to emulate MTN Foundation.
Education stakeholders in Kaduna said private sector involvement is critical in reducing the financial burden on parents and improving learning outcomes, especially for girls in boarding schools who often lack basic supplies.
The Learning Support Materials Initiative remains one of MTN Nigeria Foundation’s flagship programs aimed at underserved schools to improve access, retention and performance.
With the Kaduna distribution completed, the Foundation said it will continue expanding the initiative to more schools in 2026 as part of its contribution to strengthening Nigeria’s education sector.
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