Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation announces 2026 Oxford MPP scholarship recipient

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The Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation has announced Joy Ugonma Olayiwola as the recipient of the 2026 Aig-Imoukhuede Master in Public Policy (MPP) Scholarship at the University of Oxford.

The scholarship will support Olayiwola’s pursuit of a Master of Public Policy at the Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford, where she will deepen her knowledge of public policy, institutions, economics and public decision-making.

Established in 2017, the Aig-Imoukhuede MPP Scholarship provides exceptional Nigerian public servants with the opportunity to undertake postgraduate study at Oxford. The programme is designed to equip scholars with advanced policy knowledge, international exposure and practical skills to strengthen their capacity to contribute to public-sector reform and improved service delivery.

With the 2026 award, 34 public servants have now received the Aig-Imoukhuede MPP Scholarship to the University of Oxford, contributing to a growing community of public-sector professionals supported through the Foundation’s leadership development initiatives.

Beyond the scholarship, alumni of the programme have applied their learning to public-sector initiatives in areas including healthcare delivery, institutional reform and efforts to combat human trafficking.

Olayiwola is an alumna of the Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation Public Leaders Programme and currently serves as an Assistant Director at the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA).She also leads the Smart Geospatial and ICT Unit at GeoApps Plus Limited.

With more than 17 years of public-service experience, Olayiwola has developed expertise in digital systems, data-driven solutions and institutional capacity development.

Commenting on the scholarship, Executive Vice Chair of the Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation, Ofovwe Aig-Imoukhuede, said the initiative reflects the Foundation’s belief that strengthening public service requires sustained investment in the people who work within it.

“We provide public servants with opportunities to learn, broaden their perspectives and develop the capacity to approach complex challenges with greater insight and judgement.

” We are pleased to support Mrs Joy Olayiwola as she takes this next step and look forward to how she will apply her experience to her continued work in public service.”