Founder, The Special Foundation, Seyi Akinwale, at the 2025 Thought Leadership Summit in Ikoyi, Lagos
The Special Foundation has released its 2025 Annual Impact Report, detailing a year of significant growth, expanded partnerships, and sustained progress in its mission to improve access to quality education for underprivileged children and young people across Nigeria.
According to the report, the Foundation has now reached over 62,623 children and young people since its inception in 2018, with 30,327+ individuals impacted in 2025 alone across its scholarship, mentorship, school infrastructure, and community-based learning programs. The report highlights the Foundation’s continued focus on long-term educational outcomes, equity, and leadership development.
A core pillar of the Foundation’s work remains its scholarship programs. In 2025, the Inspire Scholarship Program supported 619 scholars across 21 states, in partnership with 155 schools nationwide. The report shows that 98 percent of scholars have received continuous educational support for over five years, underscoring the Foundation’s commitment to sustained intervention rather than short-term aid. Of the scholars supported, 80 percent are orphans, while 56 percent are female, reflecting a strong emphasis on inclusion and support for highly vulnerable children.
The Foundation also continued its merit-based Special Scholarship Program, supporting gifted young people under the age of 21 in tertiary institutions by covering tuition and essential learning materials, to nurture academic excellence and future leadership.
“In 2025, we saw what becomes possible when committed partners, volunteers, and communities rally around the simple belief that every child deserves a fair chance,” said Seyi Akinwale, Founder of The Special Youth Leadership Foundation. “Behind every number in this report is a child whose trajectory is shifting because someone chose to invest in their potential, not just their problems.”
In 2025, the Foundation’s Special Summer School Program recorded its largest reach to date, engaging 24,500 children across 14 centres in 9 states. The free 4–6 week program provided children from underserved communities with practical and intellectual learning experiences, including leadership development, entrepreneurship, coding, creative arts, vocational skills, and public speaking. Fully funded by the Foundation and its partners, the program is designed to keep children meaningfully engaged during the school holidays while equipping them with skills, confidence, and a sense of possibility.
Mentorship and career exposure also remained a priority throughout the year. The report notes that over 10,165 young people have now benefited from mentorship initiatives, with 560+ students receiving structured mentorship support in 2025. A key milestone was the Foundation’s partnership with Google to launch the Mind the Gap program in Nigeria, making it the first local organization to implement the initiative. Through this program, 30+ students visited Google HQ, participated in interactive learning sessions, and gained exposure to careers in technology and innovation.
Students from Roydek Academy, Makoko, at Google HQ during the Mind The Gap Outreach
Addressing learning infrastructure gaps continued through the School Build Program. In 2025, the Foundation advanced its school renovation efforts, bringing the total number of renovation projects completed to 14. Notable among these was the renovation of the St. Francis Junior Grammar School Library, now serving over 850 students with an improved, student-friendly learning environment.
Reflecting on the year, Seyi Akinwale highlighted the role of collaboration in driving impact. He noted that more than 400 partners, including over 30 new partners in 2025, contributed to the Foundation’s ability to expand its reach and enhance program quality. In recognition of this work, The Special Foundation received both the Gold Anthem Award and the Community Voice Award, selected from over 10,000 global applications, and was also honored at the Global Recognition Awards for leadership and social impact.
The Special Foundation’s Advisory Board members and partners at the 2025 Thought Leadership Summit Panel in Ikoyi, Lagos (L-R: Nnenna Irebisi, Chukwuma Nwanze, Damilola Akinwale, Seyi Akinwale, Abimbola Ayinde, Olumide Soyunbo, and Gaise Baba)
With plans underway to scale its programs further in 2026, including expanded scholarship support, increased Special Summer School centres, and additional school build projects, the Foundation will also convene its next Thought Leadership Summit on May 13, 2026 in Lagos, Nigeria, bringing together educators, partners, policymakers, and sector leaders to advance conversations on sustainable education access and long-term impact. The Foundation says it remains committed to building systems that ensure every child, regardless of background, has the opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive.
The full 2025 Annual Impact Report is available on The Special Foundation’s website.
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