i-Scholar Initiative (iSI) has reaffirmed its commitment to bridging the opportunity gap for talented but underserved Nigerian youths through its 2025 Scholarship Awards.

The event, themed, “Expanding the Pipeline of Change Agents to Transform Africa,” celebrated a fresh cohort of scholars who have received funding and mentorship to pursue postgraduate studies at leading global institutions.

In his opening remarks, Founder of iSI, Victor Ogunmola, highlighted the organisation’s vision and mission, stating: “Talent is universal, but opportunity is not. We all have a role to bridge the gap for others.” Ogunmola described the initiative’s model as a response to the systemic barriers preventing many qualified Nigerian graduates from advancing their education abroad.

He noted that despite their academic excellence, many face insurmountable costs associated with exams, applications, and visa processing, as well as a lack of mentorship.

To address these challenges, iSI offers support covering standardised exams, such as GRE, GMAT, IELTS, and TOEFL, graduate school application and visa guidance, and mentorship through a global network of professionals.

Since its inception in 2019, the initiative has supported over 455 scholars, achieved an 85 per cent success rate in securing full scholarships, and unlocked more than $45 million in cumulative scholarship value. i-Scholars have gained admission to prestigious universities including Stanford, Cornell, Tufts, University of British Columbia, and the University of Southern California.