Sahara Group, an international energy conglomerate with operations across Africa, Europe, Asia and the Middle East, has reaffirmed its commitment to sustainable development and human capital growth on the continent through its Making A Difference (MAD) Grant, an initiative designed to support impactful academic research.
The company announced that the 2025 edition of the MAD Grant has funded three research-driven projects at the University of Lagos, building on the success of the programme’s inaugural rollout in 2024.
Each selected project received $12,000 to deepen its reach and scale solutions addressing youth unemployment, digital inclusion and institutional governance.
According to Sahara Group, the initiative reflects a long-term strategy of leveraging education and innovation to unlock inclusive economic growth across Africa.
“The MAD Grant represents our sustained commitment to identifying and amplifying sustainable solutions that drive economic growth and development,” said Bethel Obioma, Sahara Group’s Head of Corporate Communications. “This second edition allows us to deepen our support for academic innovators whose work has demonstrated clear potential for systemic impact.”
Okay News reports that the University of Lagos leadership welcomed the continuation of the programme, describing it as a strong example of effective collaboration between academia and the private sector.
“The Sahara Group MAD Grant has been a catalytic force for innovation at UNILAG. It is a testament to the power of strategic partnership in advancing our university’s mission to develop leaders and solutions for the nation and beyond,” said Professor Folasade Ogunsola, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos.
The 2025 awardees are Professor Sunday Abayomi Adebisi, Dr. Victor Odumuyiwa and Professor Abdul-Hameed Sulaimon, whose projects focus on translating academic research into tangible socioeconomic outcomes.
Professor Adebisi, known for his work in entrepreneurship education, is expanding the Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Business Certification (EIBIC) programme, which has already supported more than 20,000 students in identifying and launching business ventures aligned with their fields of study.
“The $12,000 MAD Grant provides critical resources to accelerate our mission of turning every student into a job creator,” Professor Adebisi said.
Dr. Odumuyiwa’s project centres on digital skills development and technology ecosystem growth through the NITDA IT Hub (NITHUB), where thousands of participants have been trained in areas including artificial intelligence and emerging technologies.
“Strategic funding like the MAD Grant is essential for sustaining the momentum of our digital transformation efforts,” Dr. Odumuyiwa noted.
Professor Sulaimon’s initiative focuses on re-engineering faculty administration to improve governance, operational efficiency and academic performance within the Faculty of Management Sciences.
“The MAD Grant provides crucial validation and practical support for our governance improvement efforts,” he said.
Speaking on the broader vision behind the programme, Ejiro Gray, Director of Governance and Sustainability at Sahara Group, said the selection process prioritised measurable impact and scalability.
“Our selection process for this second edition focused on projects with measurable outcomes and scalability. Each $12,000 award represents an investment in sustainable systems, whether creating entrepreneurs, developing digital talent, or strengthening institutional frameworks,” Gray explained.
Sahara Group said the success of the UNILAG-based projects has created a blueprint for wider continental impact. The company plans to extend the MAD Grant to other universities and institutions across Africa, with the goal of building a network of academic hubs driving entrepreneurship, digital transformation and governance reform through education and innovation.
