OPay is expanding its ₦1.2 billion scholarship programme to more Nigerian tertiary institutions, with the fintech company targeting 41 participating institutions by the end of 2026.
The expansion comes eight years after OPay began operations in Nigeria and highlights a growing push by major private-sector companies to make longer-term investments in education and youth development.
OPay said it has now partnered with 25 tertiary institutions under its OPay Scholars Programme, following a new Memorandum of Understanding with Miva Open University.
The company plans to add another 16 institutions before the end of 2026, bringing the total number of participating institutions to 41.
Unlike one-off scholarship awards, the programme was designed as a 10-year commitment with a total value of ₦1.2 billion.
The structure allows OPay to provide educational support over a longer period rather than limiting its intervention to individual annual donations.
The long-term approach is significant in a country where the cost of tertiary education can place sustained financial pressure on students and their families.
Miva University Joins the Programme
The latest partnership with Miva Open University extends the programme into Nigeria’s technology-driven private university sector.
Miva operates a flexible, technology-enabled model of tertiary education, giving the scholarship initiative access to students studying through a different route from the conventional campus-based university system.
Miva’s inclusion means students enrolled in its academic programmes will have an additional opportunity to benefit from OPay’s scholarship support.
Why the Scholarship Matters to Nigerian Students
For Nigerian students and their families, scholarships can provide relief from the rising cost of tertiary education and help beneficiaries remain in school and concentrate on their studies.
OPay said beneficiaries of its scholarship programme could go on to become professionals, entrepreneurs, engineers, technology specialists, healthcare workers and other contributors to Nigeria’s economy.
The company’s emphasis on sustained support also positions the programme as an investment in human capital rather than simply a short-term corporate social responsibility initiative.
The scholarship programme forms part of a broader set of youth-focused initiatives by OPay.
These include the OPay National Innovation Challenge, carried out in partnership with Google and 3MTT, as well as OPay Futures.
Together, the initiatives reflect the company’s focus on education, innovation and opportunities for young Nigerians.
Private Sector and Nigeria’s Human Capital Challenge
The expansion comes as investment in education and skills development remains central to discussions about Nigeria’s economic future.
A larger pool of educated and skilled young people can strengthen the country’s workforce, entrepreneurship ecosystem and technology sector.
For companies operating in Nigeria, education programmes also provide a way of making longer-term investments in the communities and markets in which they operate.
OPay said its investment in education reflects its belief that developing young Nigerians is critical to the country’s long-term economic and social progress.
Programme to Reach 41 Institutions
With 16 additional institutions planned before the end of 2026, OPay expects its scholarship programme to reach 41 tertiary institutions.
The expansion would significantly widen the pool of Nigerian students able to access support through the programme.
Eight years after commencing operations in Nigeria, OPay said the continued expansion of its education initiatives reflects its intention to maintain a long-term stake in the country’s development by investing in the next generation of Nigerians.
