32 First-Class in One Year? PAP Scholars Shake Nigeria’s Academic Table, 134 More Clinch 2:1
By Passman Akpos
In a development stirring excitement and debate across the Niger Delta, no fewer than 32 beneficiaries of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) graduated with first-class honours in 2025, while 134 others secured second-class upper division degrees in top Nigerian universities.
The remarkable academic feat—cutting across highly competitive courses such as law, pharmacy, aeronautical engineering, cybersecurity, nursing science, engineering, accounting, architecture and medical sciences—has drawn public attention to the growing impact of the Federal Government-backed scholarship scheme.
Observers say the figures are not just impressive but symbolic, especially for a programme originally designed as a peace-building intervention in the Niger Delta.
PAP Administrator, Dr Dennis Brutu Otuaro, described the achievement as a powerful validation of the programme’s mandate to transform the region through education and human capital development.
“We are indeed happy with the excellent academic performances of our scholarship students in 2025. The number that made first-class and second-class upper division is very encouraging. We commend all of them for the great feats,” Otuaro stated.
According to him, the academic excellence recorded by the beneficiaries underscores a strategic shift from agitation to achievement, positioning education as a tool for lasting peace and regional advancement.
He linked the success to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, praising the President’s continued support for the programme. Otuaro also acknowledged the supervisory role of the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, in ensuring effective implementation.
The PAP boss further stressed that the results justify the Federal Government’s investment in the Niger Delta, noting that the beneficiaries have made their communities and the nation proud.He urged current scholars under the scheme to raise the bar even higher, warning that the spotlight is now firmly on them to sustain the impressive academic record.
With 166 graduates earning top-tier degrees in a single academic year, many stakeholders say the development could reshape public perception of the Presidential Amnesty Programme—from a security intervention to a powerhouse of academic and professional excellence.
