Katsina State Governor, Dr. Dikko Umaru Radda, has announced a 100 per cent increase in students’ bursary allowances, ending 18 years of stagnant rates, as part of his administration’s efforts to ease the financial burden on students and their parents.
The governor announced the measure at the flag-off of the disbursement of N689.79 million to 19,318 verified students across 97 institutions for the 2025/2026 academic session.
At the event held at the state Institute of Technology and Management in Katsina, Radda disclosed that his administration had disbursed ₦689.79 million to 19,318 verified students across 97 institutions for the 2025/2026 academic session.
The governor said the increase reflected his administration’s commitment to prioritising education, expanding access to opportunities and ensuring that financial constraints did not prevent students from pursuing their academic ambitions.
He said investing in education remained essential to empowering individuals, strengthening families, driving economic growth and preparing young people to become productive citizens.
Beyond the general bursary increase, Radda said the state government had approved special increases for students of Veterinary Medicine and awarded ₦500,000 each to 56 Katsina indigenes studying at the Nigerian Law School.
He added that the government had continued to support 118 students pursuing specialised courses abroad.
The governor also announced the introduction of a new scholarship scheme for 1,700 outstanding students drawn from the state’s 34 local government areas to study critical disciplines, including Nursing, Engineering, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Agriculture and Education.
According to him, the various interventions have raised the state government’s total bursary payments and student awards to more than ₦3.29 billion.
Radda commended the Katsina State Scholarship Board for strengthening transparency and accountability in the administration of student support programmes.
He particularly highlighted the recovery and return of ₦86 million in unclaimed bursary funds to the state treasury, describing the development as part of efforts to ensure responsible management of public resources.
The governor urged students to remain focused, disciplined and committed to academic excellence, stressing that his administration aimed to build an education system that rewards merit, promotes equal opportunities and equips young people with the knowledge and skills needed to contribute to the development of Katsina State and Nigeria.
He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to sustained investment in education, noting that the state’s future depended on the opportunities provided for its young people today.
