IGAHAF Targets 10,000 Scholarship Beneficiaries, Inducts Graduates Into Global Alumni Network
By Chibuzor Okoye
The I.G. Aguowo Health and Academic Foundation, IGAHAF, has held its 6th Annual Education Summit and inducted its graduated beneficiaries into the IGAHAF Global Network of Alumni in Awka, Anambra State.
The event brought together government officials, academics, philanthropists, education stakeholders, beneficiaries and other guests, with speakers highlighting the role of education and philanthropy in tackling poverty and expanding opportunities for young Nigerians.
Speaking at the summit, the Founder and Chairman, Board of Trustees of IGAHAF, Ozo Ignatius Onyeka Aguowo, said the foundation was established six years ago to help close the education gap, alleviate poverty through education and create opportunities for young people to achieve their academic aspirations.
Aguowo disclosed that the foundation currently provides comprehensive academic sponsorship to more than 700 beneficiaries across over 12 states of the federation.
He said the foundation remained committed to ensuring that financial difficulties did not prevent deserving young people from pursuing their education.
The Anambra State Commissioner for Education, Dr. Ekene Oguguo, described education as a critical pathway to development, noting that initiatives such as IGAHAF were complementing government efforts to expand access to education.
Oguguo commended Aguowo for supporting the state’s education agenda, saying the foundation’s interventions aligned with Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s vision of equipping young people with the knowledge and skills required to compete globally.
The Chairman of the occasion and National Democratic Congress senatorial candidate for Anambra South in the 2027 general elections, Dr. Ebuka Onunkwo, said the objectives of IGAHAF aligned with the work of his own foundation.
He noted that IGAHAF’s intervention extended beyond education to include free healthcare, and called on wealthy individuals in Anambra State to emulate Aguowo’s commitment to improving the lives of the less privileged.
The keynote speaker, Professor Ngozi Chuma-Udeh, immediate past Anambra State Commissioner for Education, described the foundation’s activities as a form of service to humanity.
Chuma-Udeh said IGAHAF was reaching some of the poorest members of society, stressing that education remained one of the most effective tools for breaking the cycle of intergenerational poverty.
She called for more philanthropic interventions capable of giving disadvantaged children access to quality education.
The Executive Director of IGAHAF, Gloria Ugonnia Abanihe, said the foundation’s long-term goal was to provide scholarships to 10,000 students.
She added that the organisation also plans to provide free basic education for disadvantaged children and support communities where interventions are needed to promote stability and development.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Office of the Secretary to the Anambra State Government, Dr. Nwabufo Nwankwo, commended IGAHAF for its humanitarian activities.
He said the foundation’s intervention was consistent with the state’s Public Private Community Partnership, PPCP, approach to development, particularly in the education sector.
The highlight of the summit was the recognition of outstanding beneficiaries.
Four students, Nwafor Cynthia and Anya Moses Chukwubuike, both from the Department of Pharmacy, Nnamdi Azikiwe University; Iduma Benjamin Eze, Department of Law, Ebonyi State University; and Ikegbue Bryan Ifechukwu, Christ the King College, Onitsha, received ₦500,000 and brand-new laptops each for their outstanding academic performances.
The event also featured the induction of graduated beneficiaries into the IGAHAF Global Network of Alumni and the presentation of certificates.
As part of the induction, the founder presented ₦250,000 each to the graduating beneficiaries as a token of appreciation for their dedication and excellent performance throughout their academic journey under the foundation.
The summit ended with renewed calls for greater investment in education, philanthropy and human capital development as stakeholders stressed the need to give young people the opportunity to build better futures through education.
