Ten thousand students in Ebonyi State have benefited from sponsored Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board registration fees through the South East Renewed Hope Agenda, in what observers are describing as one of the largest single education support interventions the state has witnessed in recent times.
The funds were distributed on Tuesday in Abakaliki, drawing stakeholders, education advocates, community leaders, parents, and students from across the state’s 13 local government areas and 171 wards.
Each beneficiary received ₦8,500 to cover their registration costs, and the State Coordinator of SERHA, James Eze Alaka, described the gesture as “an investment in the future of the South East and Nigeria at large.”
Alaka explained that the initiative aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and is designed to ensure that no qualified student misses the opportunity to pursue higher education due to financial difficulties.
He recalled previous empowerment programmes carried out by the group, including a zonal empowerment programme in Owerri in December 2024 and subsequent distributions of vehicles, motorcycles, grinding machines, hair dryers, food items, and other materials across Ebonyi State in 2025.
Alaka also commended Ebonyi State Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru for complementing federal efforts through education focused policies, including the sponsorship of over 1,000 postgraduate students at home and abroad.
The National Coordinator of SERHA, Belusochukwu Enwere, used the occasion to place the initiative within a broader context of national development. “Today is not just about registration for an examination. It is about unlocking doors of opportunity. It is about investing in the future and empowering a generation that will shape the destiny of our state and nation,” Enwere declared.
Enwere praised the Tinubu administration for implementing reforms to stabilise the education sector, including the introduction of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund to improve access to tertiary education. He urged beneficiaries to take their studies seriously and strive for excellence. “To our dear students, this is your stepping stone to greater heights. Prepare with focus and discipline. The future belongs to those who prepare for it today,” he advised.
He also encouraged parents and guardians to sustain their support for their children’s academic journeys.
Stakeholders present applauded the programme as a timely intervention to ease the financial burden on families across the state, noting that it forms part of SERHA’s broader commitment to inclusive development and educational advancement across the South East geopolitical zone.
Last Updated on February 17, 2026 by Ola Funmilayo
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