Reported by Ariajegbe Sylvia Esezobor
The Kwara State Government has rewarded outstanding teachers, head teachers and principals across the state with about N120 million as part of activities marking the 2026 World Teachers’ Day, while unveiling plans to acquire shares in the Dangote Refinery Initial Public Offering for outstanding female teachers in a move aimed at promoting investment culture and financial inclusion among women.
Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq presented the awards on Monday, October 5, 2026, at an event in Ilorin, according to a statement issued by the Deputy Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mashood Abdulrafiu Agboola. The prizes were broken into four categories. Twenty-nine 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 as pioneer professorship recognition awards, and three schools received N9 million for the Best Kept School Award. The governor said the prizes were meant to recognise the sacrifices of teachers and motivate them to do more. “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.
The governor’s announcement of the Dangote shares plan represented the most significant policy disclosure of the event. AbdulRazaq said his administration had been in discussions with the Dangote Foundation on ways to promote investment culture, financial inclusion, asset ownership and shareholding among women. “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,” he said. “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.” He directed the state Head of Service, Dr Olufunke Mercy Shittu, to design modalities for including outstanding retired female teachers in the Dangote Refinery IPO.
The Dangote Petroleum Refinery IPO opened on September 14, 2026, and is scheduled to close on October 13. The offer comprises 4.1 billion ordinary shares at N525 per share, with a minimum subscription of 10 shares valued at N5,250. The offer is expected to raise about $1.63 billion and has been marketed as an “IPO for the people,” designed to broaden ownership of Africa’s largest single-train refinery. The refinery, built at an estimated cost of $20 billion, has a nameplate capacity of 650,000 barrels per day and has been positioned as a transformative project for Nigeria’s energy sector.
The governor’s emphasis on education reform formed the broader context of the awards. AbdulRazaq said his administration had recruited qualified teachers through a merit-based process, strengthened continuous professional development, improved school infrastructure and introduced technology and data into the management of basic education through the KwaraLEARN programme. He also cited the regular promotion of teachers and the implementation of the 27.5 per cent Teachers’ Specific Allowance as evidence of his commitment to teacher welfare. The allowance, approved in December 2025 effective from January 2026, applies to TRCN-certificated teachers across the Teaching Service Commission and the State Universal Basic Education Board, while non-certified teachers receive 21 per cent. The governor said the interventions were already yielding results, pointing to the performance of Kwara pupils in national and international competitions. “Our objective remains clear: to build an education system that gives every child in Kwara a fair opportunity to learn, develop useful skills and compete anywhere in the world,” he said. “The quality of education we provide today will determine the quality of Kwara we have tomorrow.”
The event drew a cross-section of education stakeholders, including the National President of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, Comrade Audu Titus Amba, who was represented by Issa Habeeb, as well as state leaders of the NUT and heads of education agencies. The Chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board, Professor Sheu Raheem Adaramaja, commended the governor for his sustained investment in basic education and for recognising the contributions of teachers. The awards and the Dangote shares plan were widely welcomed by teachers and education administrators, who described them as evidence of the administration’s commitment to improving the welfare and status of educators in the state.
The political context of the initiative is significant. The 2027 general elections are less than four months away, and education has emerged as a central issue in the campaign. Governor AbdulRazaq is serving his second and final term and is ineligible to seek re-election as governor, but he remains a key political figure in the state and a supporter of President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid. The awards and the investment plan for female teachers are consistent with his administration’s broader emphasis on human capital development and women’s empowerment, themes that have featured prominently in his public engagements. The Dangote shares initiative, in particular, aligns with a growing national conversation about financial inclusion and the democratisation of wealth creation through public offerings.
For the teachers of Kwara State, the awards represent both financial recognition and a message that their sacrifices are valued. For the female teachers who will receive Dangote shares, the initiative offers an opportunity to participate in the ownership of one of Nigeria’s most consequential industrial projects, potentially generating long-term financial returns. For the state government, the awards and the investment plan are a demonstration of its stated commitment to improving the welfare of teachers and promoting economic inclusion. As AbdulRazaq put it, the objective is to build an education system that gives every child in Kwara a fair opportunity to learn and compete anywhere in the world, and that requires teachers who are respected, rewarded and empowered. The coming months will determine whether the Dangote shares plan is implemented as announced and whether the broader investments in education translate into measurable improvements in learning outcomes across the state.
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