First Lady Donates N100m To Boost Arts Education In Nigeria

Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, has pledged N100 million through her Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) to support arts education via the Five Cowries Arts Education Initiative.
She announced the donation at a charity gala dinner hosted by the spouses of Heads of Mission in Nigeria on Wednesday, May 21, 2025, at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja.

Mrs Tinubu urged public support through donations, advocacy, or partnerships, stating, “On behalf of the Renewed Hope Initiative, we pledge N100 million to support 5,000 arts exhibitions in Nigeria.”

She praised the spouses of heads of mission for empowering vulnerable groups, noting, “It takes such innovations to make lasting impacts in critical sectors of society.” Additionally, she commended Five Cowries’ founder, Polly Alakija, for expanding arts education in rural and underserved communities.

Emphasising education’s role in national development, Mrs Tinubu said, “That is why the administration of President Bola Tinubu since inception and the Renewed Hope Initiative since 2023 have continually contributed toward education and youth empowerment.”

Since 2023, RHI has sponsored students at prestigious institutions, awarded scholarships to indigent students, and collaborated with the Federal Ministry of Education to provide over 5,100 bursaries for female students. It has also established 40 alternative high schools for girls affected by early pregnancy or child marriage and distributed over two million exercise books to support primary and junior secondary education.

Beyond education, RHI’s “Flow with Confidence” programme supplies disposable menstrual pads to rural schoolgirls, while grants, skills training, and relief aid support vulnerable groups. Lucrecia Downer, representing the event organisers, explained that the gala aimed to raise funds to strengthen arts education nationwide.

Polly Alakija, Five Cowries’ co-founder, shared her vision to make arts education accessible across Africa, highlighting its role in fostering creativity, resilience, and community development. She announced a partnership with the National Gallery of Art’s Saturday Club to engage all children, including those out of school, and urged investment in Nigeria’s youth, citing a community leader’s story of art’s transformative impact.