Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin, has announced the opening of applications for postgraduate foreign scholarships through his foundation, the Barau I Jibrin Foundation (BIJF). The scholarships will focus on three advanced fields: Artificial Intelligence, Forensic Sciences, and Robotics.
The Barau I Jibrin Foundation, established to provide humanitarian, educational, and empowerment support across Nigeria, aims to enhance specialized skills among citizens through this scholarship program. Dr. Maikudi Lawan, Secretary of the Scholarship Committee, emphasized that these fields were selected to equip individuals with specialized, high-demand skills.
Senator Jibrin highlighted that the scholarship program is designed to promote academic excellence and support deserving individuals, particularly from the Kano North senatorial district. Applicants can choose from three Master of Technology (M.Tech.) programs: Information Security & Cyber Forensics, Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, and Robotics Sciences.
“The foundation has strategically focused on these three fields to contribute to the country’s technological advancement,” Senator Jibrin stated. “By investing in these specialized areas, we aim to build a skilled workforce that will drive innovation and development in Nigeria.”
His media aide, Ismail Mudashir, further elaborated on the initiative in a statement: “We are raising the bar by offering postgraduate scholarships in these specialized fields to provide essential skills to our youths. Upon graduation, the beneficiaries will become professionals and experts, significantly contributing to the technological progress of our country.”
The scholarship program is structured to last approximately 18 months, with the expected graduation year set for 2026. The deadline for submitting applications is July 30, 2024, giving prospective students ample time to apply.
Senator Jibrin made this pledge during a meeting with the leadership of the Students Union Government (SUG) of Bayero University Kano (BUK) at the National Assembly. He assured the students of sponsorship opportunities in Artificial Intelligence, Forensics, and Robotics Sciences, among other postgraduate courses.
