MTN Ghana has once again demonstrated its unwavering commitment to education and national development through the 2025 edition of its Bright Scholarship Awards, which has provided full scholarships to 500 students and teachers across the country. The company also announced plans to scale up the program significantly, pledging to support an additional 1,500 beneficiaries over the next three years.
The awards ceremony, held on Monday, September 8, 2025, at the Faculty of Law Auditorium of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi, was a celebration of academic excellence and opportunity. Since the relaunch of the Bright Scholarship initiative in 2018, MTN Ghana has fully funded the education of 720 students nationwide, covering tuition, accommodation, and stipends. The impact has been transformative, producing graduates who have excelled in their fields, including 10 who emerged as valedictorians and best graduating students at their respective universities, over 520 who completed their studies with First Class Honours, and another 94 who graduated with Second Class Upper Division.
Speaking at the ceremony, MTN Ghana’s Chief Executive Officer, Stephen Blewett, in a speech delivered on his behalf by Dr. Isaac Mate, General Manager of Sustainability and Shared Value, emphasized the company’s belief in education as a powerful tool for social change. He highlighted that the expansion of the Bright Scholarship initiative will focus on students pursuing science, technology, engineering, mathematics, vocational and technical education, as well as teachers seeking to upgrade their skills in these areas. Dr. Mate explained that the initiative is not just about rewarding academic achievement but also about creating opportunities that will help bridge the poverty gap and prepare the next generation for leadership roles in society.
This year’s scholarship attracted 3,691 applications, making it one of the most competitive editions of the program to date. After a thorough selection process, 1,200 applicants were shortlisted for interviews, from which 500 outstanding students and teachers from 42 public institutions across Ghana were chosen. Of these, 300 are pursuing undergraduate degrees in STEM, vocational and technical disciplines, while 200 are teachers currently furthering their education. MTN’s commitment to equity was evident in the diversity of this year’s beneficiaries, with 187 female and 313 male awardees, including 33 differently abled students, demonstrating the program’s inclusivity and reach.
Dr. Mate underscored MTN’s vision of creating sustainable impact through education, noting that the Bright Scholarship continues to touch lives far beyond the financial support it provides. He reiterated MTN’s dedication to investing in people, describing education as the most effective pathway to lifting communities out of poverty.
The event was attended by the Ashanti Regional Minister, Dr. Frank Amoakohene, who praised MTN Ghana for using its resources to bridge gaps in access to quality education. He commended the inclusion of differently abled persons in this year’s awards and expressed his delight that 38 beneficiaries came from the Ashanti Region, saying MTN’s efforts are not only changing individual lives but also addressing deep-rooted societal inequalities.
Over the years, the Bright Scholarship initiative has become a beacon of hope for many young Ghanaians, offering opportunities that would otherwise have been out of reach. With MTN Ghana’s pledge to expand the program to reach 1,500 more students and teachers, the company is reaffirming its leadership in corporate social responsibility and its commitment to transforming communities through education. As the ceremony concluded, many beneficiaries expressed their gratitude to MTN, promising to make the most of this opportunity and contribute meaningfully to national development.
