Kwara to buy Dangote refinery shares for female teachers

Kwara State Government has announced plans to purchase shares in the Dangote Refinery Initial Public Offering (IPO) for female teachers in the state as part of efforts to promote investment and financial inclusion among educators.

Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq disclosed this on Monday in Ilorin while speaking at an event organised to commemorate the 2026 World Teachers’ Day.

The governor also presented about N120 million in financial awards to outstanding teachers, head teachers, principals, university dons and schools.

AbdulRazaq said the state government would purchase 10,000 shares for 10 female teachers in each of the outstanding public schools. He added that the initiative would also be extended to outstanding retired female teachers.

According to him, the programme is being developed in partnership with the Dangote Foundation to encourage women to move beyond earning income to building assets through investment and share ownership.

“Dangote has created the Dangote Foundation, providing subscription grounds for women only. For every ten shares we purchase they will give a grant of another ten shares, making twenty shares,” the governor said.

He added, “Our hardworking women teachers in TESCOM and SUBEB will get ten shares each. We will also extend it to the retired female teachers so that peace and prosperity will go round them.”

AbdulRazaq directed the Head of Service, Dr Olufunke Mercy Shittu, to work out modalities for including qualified retired female teachers in the initiative.

The governor said the investment programme was part of wider efforts to improve teachers’ welfare and expand their economic opportunities.

He said his administration would continue to prioritise teachers because of their role in determining the quality of education and the future of the state.

“We will continue to do our part, including improving your welfare and working conditions on a sustainable basis. We are confident that you and other stakeholders will always do your part,” he said.

On the awards, the governor said 29 best principals and head teachers received N29 million, while 119 outstanding teachers received N59.5 million.

Eleven serving and retired university dons received N22 million under the Pioneer Professorship Recognition Awards, while three schools received N9 million for the Best Kept School Award.

AbdulRazaq said the recognition was aimed at rewarding sacrifice and motivating educators to sustain their contributions to the state’s education system.

He said the administration’s education reforms had focused on improving teaching and learning through merit-based recruitment, continuous professional development, improved school infrastructure and the use of technology and data through KwaraLEARN.

The governor also highlighted the regular promotion of teachers and implementation of the 27.5 per cent Teachers’ Specific Allowance as measures to improve their welfare.

According to him, the interventions were producing results, particularly in the performance of Kwara pupils at national and international competitions.

The Chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board, Prof Sheu Raheem Adaramaja, announced that the 2026 promotion exercise for eligible teachers had been approved by the state government.

Adaramaja said the promotion examination would hold on October 10, adding that Kwara would be the first state in the federation to conduct its 2026 promotion exercise for eligible teachers.

Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development, Dr Lawal Olohungbebe, said the award programme demonstrated that hard work deserved recognition.

He urged the awardees to sustain their performance and encouraged teachers across the state to continue developing themselves professionally.

The former Kwara State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress and keynote speaker, Comrade Umar Farooq, said supporting teachers should be regarded as an investment in children, communities and society.

The state Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, Comrade Yusuf Wahab Agboola, thanked the government for its interventions in school infrastructure and teachers’ welfare, while urging it to adopt the national harmonised retirement age for teachers.