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By Tracy Moses
Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Zulum, has unveiled a scholarship initiative for female students from the state who scored 250 and above in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).
The governor made this known on Saturday, 24th May, 2025, during the inauguration of newly elected executives of the Maiduguri Chapter of the Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria (APWEN), which also featured a scholarship award ceremony organized by the governor’s wife for 12 outstanding female students. The event was held at the Government House in Maiduguri.
APWEN serves as a platform dedicated to mentoring, promoting gender inclusion in the engineering profession, and encouraging young girls to consider careers in science and technology-related fields.
Governor Zulum reiterated his administration’s unwavering commitment to supporting female education, especially in the areas of medicine, engineering, and vocational training.
“To further support girl-child education in Borno, I hereby declare that any female indigene of the state who scored 250 and above in the JAMB exams will receive full sponsorship from the state government to pursue studies in either vocational and technical education or Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) courses,” he stated.
The governor tasked the Acting Chief of Staff, the State Scholarship Board, the Ministry of Education, and the APWEN Maiduguri chapter with identifying and verifying eligible beneficiaries for the scholarship scheme.
He also praised his wife for her commitment to girl-child education and lauded both the outgoing and incoming APWEN chairpersons for their efforts in championing the cause of women in engineering.
In a keynote address titled “The Role of Mentorship in Encouraging Girls to Pursue Engineering Careers in Nigeria,” Dr. Habiba Babagana Zulum emphasized the importance of mentorship in developing both personal and professional capacity. She highlighted that women currently constitute only 14% of Nigeria’s STEM workforce and warned that sidelining over half of the country’s population in developmental planning is detrimental to national progress.
“Mentorship is a key driver in shaping future generations, it offers guidance, builds confidence, breaks societal stereotypes, enhances creativity and critical thinking, and opens doors to opportunities,” Dr. Habiba explained.
Outgoing APWEN Chairperson, Engr. Kori Shettima, reflected on the chapter’s journey, noting its achievements in innovation, mentorship, and advocacy aimed at empowering young girls.
“I take pride in the milestones we’ve reached, the young lives we’ve impacted, and the doors we’ve helped open. Our work in advocating STEM education for girls continues to shine a light on the path to a better future,” she said.
The event climaxed with the formal installation of Engr. Hajju Tijjani Gazali as the 4th Chairperson of the APWEN Maiduguri Chapter. Additionally, six top-performing female pupils from Wulari Primary School were awarded scholarships of N200,000 each, while six leading science students from Federal Government Girls College, Monguno, received N300,000 each.