The Chris Oyakhilome Foundation International (COFI) Scholarships Initiative has marked a decade of documented impact in expanding access to quality education for deserving students across communities in Nigeria and beyond Africa.
Speaking at a news conference in Ikeja on Wednesday, Tom Amenkhienan, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of COFI, said the foundation’s 10-year milestones reflect accountability, strategic growth and transparency.
He said the foundation’s impact report detailed measurable outcomes, governance structures, sustainability mechanisms and expansion plans.
“Ten years ago, we launched a vision; today we present verifiable impact, documented outcomes and a clear roadmap proving education remains the strongest instrument for generational transformation,” Amenkhienan said.
According to him, scholarship beneficiaries enrolled as young children have been sponsored through primary, secondary and university education, and are now graduates contributing meaningfully to society and national development.
Also speaking, Dr Ifeoma Chiemeka, Director of Corporate Affairs at COFI, described the foundation as faith-based and committed to empowering individuals to reach their full potential through quality education and opportunities.
She noted that beneficiaries are encouraged to apply creativity and innovation, citing examples of students achieving notable feats, including assembling a locally built vehicle despite limited manufacturing infrastructure.
“They went from kids to kings, demonstrating that with faith, opportunity and determination, dreams are achievable,” she said, adding that graduates across disciplines have excelled over the past decade.
The event also featured a public lecture themed “Reshaping the Educational Ecosystem: Reforming Curricula and Empowering Educators to Build our Societies and Nation.”
Delivering the lecture, Prof. Chukwuemeka Eke described education as the engine of national destiny, stressing that curriculum reform and teacher empowerment are critical to shaping society’s future.
He observed that many African education systems remain structured for an industrial era, producing certificate holders in a labour market increasingly driven by competence, automation and digital transformation.
Eke called for investment in digital fluency, critical thinking and professional dignity for educators to transform classrooms into hubs of innovation and sustainable development.
Similarly, Prof. Ngozi Imaga, a Nutritional and Pharmacological Biochemist at the University of Lagos, emphasised the need to improve learning environments through intentional study approaches and dynamic classroom engagement strategies.
“True learning thrives when students intentionally pursue courses that align with their passions, transforming classrooms into vibrant spaces of engagement, critical thinking and meaningful academic and personal growth,” she said.