NEWS
Kwara Government to Buy Dangote Refinery Shares for Female Teachers, Retired Educators
The Kwara State Government has unveiled a new financial empowerment initiative aimed at helping female teachers build long-term wealth through investment, with plans to acquire shares in the Dangote Refinery Initial Public Offering (IPO) for eligible educators across the state.
The initiative, announced by Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq in Ilorin on Monday, formed part of activities marking the 2026 World Teachers’ Day and is designed to promote financial inclusion, investment awareness and asset ownership among teachers.
Under the proposed scheme, 10 female teachers from each outstanding public school in the state will receive 10 shares each, with the programme also expected to cover outstanding retired female teachers.
The Governor explained that the initiative was being developed in partnership with the Dangote Foundation as part of efforts to encourage women, particularly educators, to move beyond earning regular income and begin building sustainable personal assets through investments and share ownership.
“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,” AbdulRazaq said.
He added, “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.”
The initiative represents a shift from conventional teacher welfare interventions towards creating opportunities that could give beneficiaries a stake in an investment and potentially expose them to the principles of long-term wealth creation.
The Governor directed the Head of Service, Dr Olufunke Mercy Shittu, to develop the modalities for identifying and capturing qualified retired female teachers who will benefit from the scheme.
The announcement came alongside other measures recognising the contributions of teachers to the state’s education sector. At the World Teachers’ Day celebration, the state government presented approximately ₦120 million in awards to outstanding teachers, head teachers, principals and schools.
The government said the various interventions were part of its broader commitment to improving the welfare, working conditions and economic opportunities available to teachers across Kwara.
AbdulRazaq stressed that teachers remain central to the development of the state’s education system, noting that the quality of teaching ultimately influences the development of children and the future workforce of the state.
The administration therefore indicated that its support for teachers would extend beyond annual recognition programmes to initiatives focused on welfare, professional development and financial empowerment.
“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.
With the proposed Dangote Refinery share initiative, the Kwara Government is positioning financial inclusion as another component of its teacher-support strategy, particularly for women educators and retired female teachers who qualify under the programme.