J. Okonkwo Scholarship
Awards towards tuition and books for bright secondary school and tertiary students from financially disadvantaged homes, renewable each year for students who keep a B average or better.
Scholarship detailsEstablished 2017
Empowering the next generation of nation feeders
We fund the education of bright students who could not otherwise afford to stay in school, and we champion agriculture as a first-choice career for Nigeria's young people.
Our scholarship programme
100 students every year
The J. Okonkwo Foundation grants millions of naira to 100 students each year. It is not an easy task.
The hardest part of our programme is saying no to so many deserving applicants who are not selected. There is only so much support we can provide, and we must hold to strict qualification requirements. Even with those guidelines in place, heartbreaking decisions must be made to turn away students from very poor backgrounds who long to change their own lives and their families'.
Read the scholarship guidelinesWhy we exist
Food is life, and agriculture deserves our best minds
Agriculture is one of the world's largest industries, yet in Nigeria it has lost its place as a major source of employment and foreign exchange. Too many young people now see it as a second-class subject.
The J. Okonkwo Foundation was established to change that. We invest in bright, determined students who lack the money to finish their education, because we believe educational investment in people is the surest pathway to prosperity for individuals and for the nation.
Read our storyOur overarching goal
Mr Joachin Okonkwo's heart's desire is to see agriculture account for 80% of Nigeria's revenue, replacing reliance on oil with reliance on agriculture. Nigeria and sub-Saharan Africa have the resources to become the number-one exporter of cocoa, shea, palm produce and more.
Our programme at a glance
Scholarships every year
- 100 Scholarships awarded each year
- 50 For secondary school students
- 50 For tertiary education
- 1 November Application deadline
What we do
Our programmes
Direct financial support, backed by a long-term commitment to agriculture and the young people who will lead it.
Agric-Champion Scholarship
Our founding programme supports students with a lifelong commitment to agriculture at Nigerian public universities and colleges. We have awarded it since 2018/19.
About Agric-ChampionsBeyond graduation
Our support doesn't stop at graduation. We give our scholars proper enlightenment, training and support to help them start work.
How we support scholarsPartnerships
We work with institutions, companies and individuals who share our vision. Partners can sponsor a scholar as part of their CSR, or host campus initiatives that promote agriculture.
Partner with usWhat guides us
Integrity, hard work, respect
We want this foundation to become a lasting legacy: a platform through which anyone who wants to sponsor a young person's ambition in agriculture can change a life.
- Integrity
- Hard work
- Respect
Our mission
- Make agriculture a first-choice career for the youth of Nigeria.
- Show young people that agriculture goes far beyond farming. It includes forestry, dairy, fruit cultivation, poultry, beekeeping, mushroom growing, arboriculture and more, and there is wealth in it.
- Promote modern, dignified and profitable ways of farming.
- Help students who want to study agriculture and related courses but cannot afford to.
Help a bright student stay in school
You can partner with the J. Okonkwo Foundation to offer life-changing support to students who have the ability to succeed in school and change a community, but who need financial help.
Please consider contributing to our general scholarship fund. A gift of any amount is always welcome and appreciated. Donors receive a letter of thanks and an acknowledgement certificate.