By The Revd Uruakpa Onyemaechi Charles
CCN News Correspondent, Abuja
September 6, 2026

ABUJA: The Christian Council of Nigeria (CCN) has officially flagged off its 2026/2027 Scholarship Programme, supporting 17 pioneer beneficiaries drawn from internally displaced and underprivileged backgrounds across the North-East and North-Central Zones of Nigeria.

The initiative, which represents a significant milestone in the Council’s educational intervention efforts, commenced with eight beneficiaries admitted to Anglican Girls Grammar School Abuja and Anglican International Academy Abuja, while another nine beneficiaries are scheduled to resume at John Knox College Abuja, run by the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria, on September 12.

The flag-off ceremony in Abuja featured prayers, songs, goodwill messages, interaction with parents and students, and the presentation of scholarship award letters.

CCN Begins With 17 Pioneer Beneficiaries

Addressing the gathering, the General Secretary of the Christian Council of Nigeria, The Rt. Revd Dr. Evans Onyemara, welcomed the beneficiaries and their parents on behalf of the President of the Council, His Grace, The Most Revd Dr. David O.C. Onuoha, Ph.D.

The General Secretary congratulated the students and described them as privileged beneficiaries of an initiative he said had not been witnessed in the Council’s history in the last 90 years.

According to him, the initial eight beneficiaries admitted into Anglican Girls Grammar School Abuja and Anglican International Academy Abuja form part of a wider pioneer intake of 17 students, with the remaining nine scheduled to resume at John Knox College Abuja on September 12.

Rt. Revd Onyemara expressed gratitude to God for the life and vision of the CCN President, Most Revd Dr. David O.C. Onuoha, whom he credited with providing the leadership and vision that made the scholarship initiative a reality.

He prayed for God’s continued wisdom, strength and guidance upon the CCN President to enable him to make more decisions that would positively impact lives during his tenure at the Council.

Emotional Moment as Scholarship Letters Are Presented

The presentation of the scholarship award letters was one of the major highlights of the ceremony, as beneficiaries and their parents expressed gratitude to God and appreciation to the Christian Council of Nigeria for the intervention.

For the pioneer beneficiaries, the scholarship represents an opportunity to pursue their education with renewed hope, while for their families, it provides meaningful support towards meeting the demands of education.

School Assures CCN of Support

The Principal of Anglican International Academy, Ven. Nelson Akinwande, commended the Christian Council of Nigeria for investing in the education of vulnerable children.

He assured the Council of the school’s commitment to supporting the students in their academic and personal development.

The CCN scholarship initiative is expected to provide the beneficiaries with an enabling environment to develop academically while also encouraging responsible conduct and personal growth.

CCN Team Handles Documentation and Handover

The documentation and school handover exercise was coordinated by a team comprising Ms. Mary Amogo, The Revd Onyemaechi Charles Uruakpa, Rev. Manasseh Bala, Rev. Sunday Garba and Mrs. Onwuegbu C. Stella.

The team facilitated the documentation and handover of the students to their respective schools as part of the implementation of the scholarship programme.

Investing in Education, Restoring Hope

The CCN 2026/2027 Scholarship Programme represents a practical expression of the Council’s commitment to education, compassion, empowerment and the restoration of hope among vulnerable children.

With 17 pioneer beneficiaries forming the initial intake, the programme marks the beginning of an intervention that the Council hopes will create educational opportunities for more children across Nigeria in subsequent phases.

For the beneficiaries, the journey is now one of opportunity and responsibility, with the expectation that they will make meaningful use of the educational support provided to build better futures for themselves, their families and their communities.