A former member of the House of Representatives and governorship aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party in Kaduna State, Shehu ABG, has sponsored 3,000 indigent students to sit the 2026 examination of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board.
The intervention, which cuts across the 23 local government areas of the state, covers the full cost of registration for each beneficiary.
The initiative is being implemented through the Shehu ABG Foundation and is targeted at candidates from low-income families who might otherwise be unable to afford the examination fees.
Speaking during an inspection of designated registration centres in Kaduna on Friday, ABG said the programme was conceived as a response to the increasing number of qualified students missing out on tertiary education opportunities due to financial constraints.
He said, “We have seen a disturbing trend where bright and hardworking students are unable to register for JAMB simply because their parents cannot afford the fees.
“This intervention is not about politics. It is about securing the future of our children and ensuring that poverty does not deny them the opportunity to pursue higher education.”
The PDP governorship hopeful noted that the rising cost of education had continued to push children from poor homes further away from opportunities.
According to him, “Education remains the most reliable tool for social mobility. If we neglect the academic future of these young ones, we are indirectly deepening poverty and inequality in our society.”
ABG added that older generations benefited from policies that made education more accessible and affordable, stressing that leaders must deliberately create similar pathways for today’s youths.
He said, “Many of us are products of a system that supported public education. It is our responsibility to extend the same support to this generation so they can compete favourably and contribute meaningfully to society.”
Beyond sponsoring the JAMB forms, he announced a performance-based scholarship scheme for outstanding beneficiaries.
“Students who excel in the examination will enjoy full sponsorship from 100 level through graduation. We want to reward excellence and encourage healthy academic competition across the wards,” he stated.
ABG also said he was personally monitoring the registration process to ensure transparency and prevent irregularities that could deny genuine candidates the opportunity.
Some parents and guardians who witnessed the exercise described the initiative as timely, given the prevailing economic hardship in the country.
