ABUJA, Nigeria, 8 November 2022. The Read and Earn Federation for UNESCO (UNESCO REF) has joined Sonic Foundry Inc. and its GLX university partners in Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States in the SDGs Global Mission Scheme (SGMS), a three-year, USD 100 million pilot programme in Nigeria. The Scheme is designed to expand equitable access to higher education, strengthen youth employability and build resilient educational infrastructure, in a model intended to be replicated across emerging economies.

The partnership brings together international higher education, private investment and a Nigerian institution with deep roots in youth development. It rests on a simple premise: that talent is evenly distributed across Nigeria, but opportunity is not, and that a well-governed scheme can close the distance between the two at scale.

The Scheme at a glance

Le programme en bref

Four objectives

Quatre objectifs

1. Scholarships for accredited study. Funding for Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees and professional certifications through accredited GLX partner institutions.
2. GLX Hubs. Physical learning centres offering study space, digital access, academic advising, mental health services and career planning.
3. Reaching those most at risk. Targeted resources for out-of-school girls and recent secondary school graduates, to reduce barriers such as early marriage and exploitation.
4. From learning to livelihood. Stronger retention, skills alignment, internships and international job placement for the most accomplished graduates.

Where the money goes

La répartition des fonds

Scholarships account for the largest single share, but the design is deliberate in investing equally in what surrounds them: the hubs in which students learn, the services that keep them enrolled, and the placement support that turns a qualification into a career.

Why it matters

Les enjeux

Nigeria has one of the youngest populations in the world, and an estimated 20 million children and young people out of school. For those who complete secondary education, access to accredited tertiary study remains constrained by cost, capacity and distance. A scheme that combines funded places at international institutions with local hubs and career support addresses all three constraints at once.

The emphasis on girls is equally deliberate. By committing at least 55 per cent of scholarship resources to girls and young women, and by reaching out-of-school girls directly, the Scheme recognises that the barriers facing young women, including early marriage and exploitation, are among the most decisive obstacles to their education and economic independence.

How it will be delivered

Modalités de mise en œuvre

• Scholarships awarded on the basis of merit and need.
• GLX Hubs operated through public-private partnerships with national ministries, UNESCO REF, the Nigeria Police Force Education Unit, local universities and employers.
• Performance-based disbursement, with funds released against results.
• Phased rollout, so that each stage is tested before the next begins.

Governance and safeguards

Gouvernance et garanties

An International Steering Committee, bringing together Sonic Foundry, GLX representatives, UNESCO REF, Nigerian government officials, civil society and independent auditors, will provide oversight. A National Programme Office will manage day-to-day operations.

The Scheme is bound by child protection and gender-sensitive policies, a grievance redress mechanism and data protection standards. Independent midline and endline evaluations will be conducted, and results will be reported publicly each year.

Measuring success

Mesurer la réussite

Progress will be tracked through quarterly dashboards, independent evaluations aligned with the SDG indicator framework, and public reporting.

An invitation to partners

Une invitation aux partenaires

The Scheme is conceived as a platform for collective action. United Nations agencies, bilateral donors, foundations, academic institutions and private employers are invited to co-finance, co-design and help scale the model, in Nigeria and beyond. Partnership enquiries may be directed to UNESCO REF through the Institutional Partnership Process.

ENDS