OPay has broadened its education support programme with a new scholarship partnership with Miva Open University, extending its N1.2 billion, 10-year commitment to students at Nigeria’s first fully online, degree-awarding institution.
Under the arrangement, OPay will fund and establish a scholarship scheme for 20 Miva Open University students annually over the next decade. The addition brings the online university into a growing network of Nigerian tertiary institutions benefiting from the fintech company’s long-running scholarship initiative.
How the Scholarship Works
The Miva partnership follows the same structure OPay has applied across its other partner institutions. Each selected student receives N300,000 per academic session, renewable based on continued academic performance and eligibility, to help cover tuition and other education-related costs. The scholarship is need-based, targeting high-performing students who face financial barriers to completing their studies.
Selection typically involves a joint committee made up of staff from the partnering institution and OPay representatives, a model the company has used consistently since the programme’s earlier phases with other Nigerian universities and polytechnics.
Part of a Broader Education Push
The Miva partnership adds to a scholarship scheme that has expanded steadily since its launch, now covering more than 20 tertiary institutions across Nigeria, including federal universities, state polytechnics, and now an online university. Earlier this year, OPay signed new agreements with four additional institutions spanning Benue, Kogi, Ekiti and Ebonyi states, pushing its total network of partner schools to 24.
OPay has also folded the scholarship initiative into a wider framework it calls OPay Scholars, which combines financial aid with mentorship, career development and innovation opportunities. Two other components sit alongside the core scholarship: OPay Futures, focused on career readiness, and a National Innovation Challenge that invites students to pitch practical solutions to real-world problems. The innovation challenge has already drawn entries from students across dozens of Nigerian institutions, including a team from Miva itself.
A Growing Corporate Social Responsibility Footprint
OPay’s scholarship commitment sits within a broader corporate social responsibility push that has seen the company position education as central to its brand identity in Nigeria. Company officials have consistently framed the initiative as a long-term investment in youth development rather than a one-off gesture, with plans to continue expanding into new institutions and communities over the life of the programme.
For Miva students, the partnership offers a concrete financial support option layered on top of the university’s existing scholarship and financial-aid arrangements, potentially easing the cost burden for students who might otherwise struggle to complete their degrees.
Details on the application process and timeline for the first cohort of Miva beneficiaries had not been published at the time of writing. Students interested in the scholarship are advised to watch for updates through Miva Open University’s official channels.
