The Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation, known for its commitment to transforming public service in Africa, has announced Mr. Isiaka Salami, an Assistant Director at the Federal Internal Revenue Service (FIRS) in Nigeria, as the recipient of the 2024 AIG Scholarship. This prestigious award will enable Mr. Salami to pursue a Master of Public Policy degree at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.
The AIG Scholarship is highly competitive, and recipients are selected based on their academic excellence, leadership potential, and dedication to improving public service in Africa. The scholarship aims to equip African public servants with the skills and knowledge needed to lead meaningful changes in their countries’ public sectors.
Mr. Salami’s selection follows a rigorous process that identified him as an outstanding candidate with the potential to make significant contributions to Nigeria’s public sector. He joins an elite group of 32 previous AIG Scholars who have benefited from this program since its launch in 2017.
The scholarship is not just an opportunity for academic advancement but also a strategic investment in the future of Nigeria’s public service. Mr. Salami is expected to return to Nigeria after his studies, bringing back valuable expertise to help drive ongoing reforms in the country’s public sector.
The Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation, co-founded by Mr. Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede and his wife, Mrs. Ofovwe Aig-Imoukhuede, has invested over £2 million in scholarships for African public servants. The Foundation’s broader mission is to build capacity within Nigeria’s public sector, ensuring it can meet the complex challenges of the modern world with integrity, excellence, and effective service delivery.
Mrs. Ofovwe Aig-Imoukhuede, the Foundation’s Executive Vice-Chair, emphasized the critical need for transformation in Nigeria’s public sector. She highlighted that the sector is at a pivotal moment where change is not just desirable but essential. By investing in exceptional public servants like Mr. Salami, the Foundation hopes to cultivate a new generation of leaders who are equipped with world-class training to tackle the country’s most pressing challenges.
Since its inception, the Foundation has spent over N2 billion on training programs and scholarships, impacting more than 500 public servants across Nigeria. The goal is to create a critical mass of well-trained professionals who can lead transformative changes within the public sector, ultimately turning it into a model of excellence and integrity.
Mr. Salami is set to begin his studies at Oxford in September 2024. Upon his return, he is expected to apply the knowledge and skills acquired during his time at Oxford to contribute significantly to the ongoing public sector reforms in Nigeria.
The AIG Scholarship Program is a testament to the Foundation’s commitment to building a more effective and efficient public service in Nigeria. By empowering individuals like Mr. Salami, the Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation continues to play a crucial role in shaping the future of governance in Nigeria and beyond.
This initiative underscores the importance of investing in human capital as a catalyst for public sector transformation, ensuring that future leaders are well-equipped to navigate the complexities of governance and deliver impactful solutions that benefit the broader society.
