Uzor Kalu Sponsors UTME for 2,000 Abia North Students

The Orji Uzor Kalu (OUK) Foundation, championed by Nigerian Business mogul Orji Uzor Kalu has unveiled a major educational intervention with the sponsorship of University Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) registration for more than 2,000 prospective candidates from Abia North Senatorial District.

The initiative is designed to remove financial barriers that prevent many young people from sitting for the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) examination, which serves as the gateway to tertiary education in Nigeria.

Coordinator of the scheme, Rev. Mike Onyeidu, disclosed this in a statement issued on Monday in Abakaliki, noting that beneficiaries will be drawn from all five local government areas that make up the senatorial district.

According to Onyeidu, the programme specifically targets students who are academically capable but economically disadvantaged, many of whom struggle to raise the cost of UTME registration.

He explained that the foundation’s intervention is meant to cushion the financial pressure on families while ensuring that deserving candidates are not denied the opportunity to pursue higher education because of poverty.

“The initiative, which cuts across the five local government areas of the district, is aimed at easing the financial constraints that often hinder access to tertiary education for brilliant but indigent students,” Onyeidu said.

Education as a pillar of sustainable development

The coordinator emphasised that the sponsorship reflects the foundation’s broader commitment to educational advancement, human capital development and long-term socio-economic growth in Abia North.

By fully covering the cost of UTME registration, the foundation hopes to strengthen the educational pipeline and help prepare a new generation of skilled professionals who can contribute meaningfully to national development.

“The scheme aligns with the founder, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu’s desire to place education at the centre of sustainable development and to build a knowledgeable, skilled, and competitive constituency,” Onyeidu stated.

The coordinator emphasised that the sponsorship reflects the foundation’s broader commitment to educational advancement, human capital development and long-term socio-economic growth in Abia North.

By fully covering the cost of UTME registration, the foundation hopes to strengthen the educational pipeline and help prepare a new generation of skilled professionals who can contribute meaningfully to national development.

“The scheme aligns with the founder, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu’s desire to place education at the centre of sustainable development and to build a knowledgeable, skilled, and competitive constituency,” Onyeidu stated.

Onyeidu stressed that the intervention should be seen not merely as payment of examination fees, but as a strategic investment in the future of young people across the district.

He described the programme as a deliberate effort to nurture future leaders and equip them with the foundation needed to achieve their academic and professional ambitions.

“The sponsored JAMB registration goes beyond examination fees. It is an investment in the future leadership of Abia North and a strategic step toward empowering young people to realise their academic and professional aspirations,” he said.