Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State has announced a complete scholarship scheme for all female indigenes who score 250 and above in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
The Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) is administered by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) for candidates seeking admission into tertiary institutions after completing secondary education.
The announcement was made on Saturday in Maiduguri during the inauguration of the new executive members of the Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria (APWEN), Maiduguri Chapter, alongside a scholarship programme facilitated by the Governor’s wife, Dr Habiba Babagana Zulum.
Governor Zulum stated that the initiative aims to promote girl-child education and encourage female students to pursue careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), as well as technical and vocational education. He said, “To encourage girl-child education in the state, I want to announce that the Borno State Government will sponsor all female indigenes who score 250 and above in JAMB to study STEM or technical and vocational education.”
The Governor directed the acting Chief of Staff, the State Scholarship Board, the Ministry of Education and APWEN to identify and screen eligible candidates for the scholarship scheme.
He commended his wife for her commitment to education and acknowledged APWEN’s contributions to promoting engineering among women and girls in Borno State.
Dr Habiba Zulum delivered a paper titled “The Role of Mentorship in Encouraging Girls to Pursue Engineering Careers in Nigeria.” She emphasised the importance of mentorship in supporting both personal and professional development among young girls, noting that women constitute only 14 per cent of Nigeria’s STEM workforce—a figure that needs improvement. She said, “Mentorship is critical to shaping the minds and future of upcoming generations.” She emphasised the importance of mentorship in building confidence, breaking down stereotypes, promoting critical thinking, and expanding access to opportunities.
In her remarks, the outgoing APWEN Chairperson, Kori Shettima, expressed pride in the association’s achievements, particularly its advocacy and mentorship efforts for girls in STEM fields. Shettima said, “I am proud of the progress we have made, the lives we have touched and the young minds we have inspired.”
The event also featured the inauguration of the 4th Chairperson of APWEN, Maiduguri Chapter, Engineer Hajju Tijjani Gazali.
Scholarships of ₦200,000 each were awarded to six top-performing female pupils of Wulari Primary School, while ₦300,000 each was presented to six best science students of Federal Government Girls College, Monguno.
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