Chess in Slums Africa founder Tunde Onakoya, in partnership with Jobs59 and AltSchool Africa, has launched a N250 million scholarship fund for corps members and recent graduates in Nigeria. Each successful applicant will receive N160,000 covering application and tuition fees, along with career support and internship opportunities. Selected beneficiaries who do not own a laptop can also apply for a separate Laptop Scholarship Add-on under the initiative.
Scholarship Details and Eligibility
The scholarship is aimed at helping young Nigerians develop digital skills to improve their employment prospects. According to the organisers, the N160,000 funding includes N10,000 for the admission application fee and N150,000 toward tuition. The scholarship can be used to study any eligible diploma programme offered by AltSchool Africa.
Applications are open to serving NYSC corps members, prospective NYSC members, and recent NYSC graduates. The available diploma programmes include AI-Powered Fullstack Engineering, Cybersecurity, Cloud Engineering, Data Analysis, Technical Product Management, and Digital Marketing Automation and Sales. The courses are expected to last between nine and 12 months, with participants able to begin applying for internship opportunities from the sixth month of study.
How to Apply
Interested applicants can apply by visiting the NYSC to Tech Job Scholarship application portal, filling in the online application using their NYSC information, selecting their preferred diploma programme, and submitting the application for assessment. Successful candidates will receive further instructions on admission and scholarship processing. Applicants who need a computer for their studies may also submit a separate application for the Laptop Scholarship, which will be awarded after an additional review.
Career Support for Beneficiaries
In addition to financial assistance, successful applicants will receive internship opportunities, job placement support through Jobs59, career mentorship, and professional portfolio development guidance. Speaking about the initiative on X, Jobs59 founder Sam Otigba said the programme was created to give young Nigerians a practical route into technology careers by combining technical education with employment support. The organisers noted that the initiative is designed to help young Nigerians acquire industry-relevant skills while creating a pathway into employment after completing the NYSC programme.
