The Jigawa State Executive Council has approved N1.95 billion for the payment of Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSCE) fees and the continued sponsorship of 193 medical students studying in Cyprus.
The Commissioner for Information, Youth, Sport and Culture, Sagir Musa Ahmad, disclosed this while briefing journalists on the outcome of the State Executive Council meeting.
According to the commissioner, N891.66 million was approved for tuition fees and other approved academic and welfare expenses for Jigawa students studying Medical and Applied Medical Sciences at Near East University, Cyprus, for the 2026/2027 academic session.
He said the funding covered tuition, administrative charges, value-added tax, accommodation, living allowances, residence permits and health insurance for the returning students.
Ahmad said the approval was in line with Governor Umar Namadi’s commitment to human capital development and educational advancement in the state.
He said the council expressed satisfaction with the progress of the students, noting that 99 of the 193 beneficiaries had completed their mandatory 500-level courses and been cleared by the university to begin their internships.
The commissioner added that the remaining students were expected to complete their outstanding courses before commencing their internships.
The council also commended one of the students, Abu-Ubaida Abubakar, for achieving the highest cumulative grade point average recorded in the Civil Engineering Department since the university was established.
The council described the continued sponsorship of the students as a strategic investment in human capital, particularly in medical and applied medical sciences, which are considered critical to strengthening the state’s healthcare system and increasing the availability of qualified professionals.
In a separate approval, the council endorsed N1.056 billion to settle outstanding obligations relating to the 2026 National Examination registration charges for students across Jigawa State.
Ahmad said the funds would cover the registration of 40,210 students for various examinations.
Of the total, 32,663 students are registered for examinations conducted by the National Examinations Council (NECO), 685 for the National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB), and 6,862 for the National Board for Arabic and Islamic Studies (NBAIS).
The commissioner said the decision reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to improving access to quality education and ensuring that financial difficulties did not prevent students from completing their education.
He added that the government appreciated the cooperation of parents, students, teachers, school administrators and examination bodies in supporting its education initiatives.
Ahmad assured residents that the administration would continue to prioritise investment in education as part of its broader human capital development agenda.
