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Nigerian FinTech company OPay has expanded its $874,884 (₦1.2 billion), 10-year scholarship programme. Now rebranded as OPay Scholars for its 2026 edition, the programme is also adding an Innovation Challenge developed in partnership with Google and OPay Futures.
The expansion, described by OPay as a first-of-its-kind initiative in Nigeria’s corporate landscape, combines financial aid, technical skills training, innovation development, and career pathways into a single programme. The applications for the Innovation Challenge are open from 25 May to 14 June 2026, and students in tertiary institutions across Nigeria can apply as a team of five students at this link.
The OPay Scholarship Programme was designed to address financial barriers preventing students from accessing higher education, with a vision to empower future leaders through equitable access to quality education and meaningful societal impact. Since its launch, the programme has supported 421 undergraduate students across 20 tertiary institutions nationwide.
Each successful scholar receives $218 (₦300,000) per academic session and is supported for two academic sessions, provided they continue to meet the eligibility criteria. To be eligible for the core scholarship, applicants must have a minimum Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 2.8 out of 4 for polytechnics and colleges, or 3.5 out of 5 (equivalent to a second-class upper) for universities, must have completed their second-semester 200-level examinations, and preference is given to students who can demonstrate significant financial hardship.
Building on the impact of previous editions, OPay has expanded the 2026 programme to include an Innovation Challenge in partnership with Google and OPay Futures. This new challenge is aimed at equipping students with practical digital skills, encouraging innovation, and preparing them for future career opportunities.
“With the expansion of the programme in 2026 to include the Innovation Challenge and OPay Futures, we are going beyond financial support to equip students with practical skills, innovation opportunities, and career pathways that will help them thrive in the digital economy and create meaningful impact in their communities,” said Elizabeth Wang, Chief Commercial Officer, OPay.
Dotun Adekunle, Chief Operations and Technology Officer, OPay, “Our partnership with Google on the Innovation Challenge strengthens the impact of the OPay Scholars Programme by giving students access to technology and tools that can help turn ideas into practical solutions.
“By integrating Google Gemini into the challenge, we are empowering young Nigerians to build relevant digital skills, solve real problems, and prepare for the future of innovation and work.”
The Innovation Challenge will reward outstanding ideas and solutions from students in tertiary institutions across Nigeria. To participate, applicants must apply as a team of five undergraduate students from any tertiary institution in Nigeria.
Applicants are also required to have downloaded the Gemini app and initiated basic prompts within it. The grand prize winner stands to receive $7,283.16 (₦10 million), the first runner-up $3,641 (₦5 million), and the second runner-up $2184 (₦3 million). Beyond the cash prizes, participants will benefit from structured webinars and bootcamps focused on building practical skills and industry exposure. The top performers will also gain access to OPay Futures, unlocking potential career opportunities with OPay and its partners.
“By embedding Gemini into the OPay Innovation Challenge, we are giving Nigeria’s sharpest students a powerful and practical tool to test, refine, and scale their ideas,” said Olumide Balogun, Director, West & East Africa, Google.
The Innovation Challenge is broader in reach than the main scholarship stream, which is restricted to students at the 20 partner universities. The scholarship itself is open to students at institutions including Ahmadu Bello University, University of Ibadan, Obafemi Awolowo University, University of Lagos, Bayero University Kano, and University of Nigeria Nsukka, among others.
Since its launch, the OPay Scholarship Programme has continued to grow in scale and impact, supporting hundreds of students across Nigeria. With the introduction of the Innovation Challenge and OPay Futures, OPay is reaffirming its commitment to education, innovation, and youth empowerment.
