Kinshasa, July 28, 2026 (TOP243NEWS) – President Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo officially launched the first edition of the « Excellentia DRC » National University Scholarship Programme in Kinshasa on Tuesday, an initiative aimed at promoting academic excellence and making a long-term investment in the country’s human capital. The Head of State was accompanied by First Lady Denise Nyakeru Tshisekedi, whose Lona Foundation initiated the project.
A total of 185 outstanding graduates from the latest State Examination, representing all 26 provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, were awarded scholarships under this inaugural intake. The scholarships recognize the country’s highest-performing students and provide them with the opportunity to pursue higher education either in the DRC or abroad.
Speaking on behalf of the scholarship recipients, Ntela Nsamba Gemima expressed the beneficiaries’ gratitude to the President of the Republic, the First Lady, and the Government for transforming the initiative into a national programme.
« This scholarship represents far more than financial support for our studies. It reflects the determination of the Congolese State to invest in its human capital, promote merit, and provide young people with the means to achieve their academic ambitions and build their future, » she said.
The Excellentia DRC Programme is implemented through a partnership between the Lona Foundation and the Ministry of Higher Education, University Education, Scientific Research and Innovation (ESURSI). The collaboration includes the organization of the national selection test, the appointment of examiners, supervision of the examinations, and the administrative follow-up of successful candidates.
Addressing the ceremony, Minister of Higher Education, University Education, Scientific Research and Innovation Marie-Thérèse Somba praised President Tshisekedi’s commitment to education, describing it as a cornerstone of the country’s transformation agenda.
According to the minister, the Excellentia DRC Programme pursues several strategic objectives: encouraging academic excellence among State Examination finalists, training a new generation of highly skilled leaders, investing in the development of human capital, and ensuring that the country’s best students have equitable access to higher education in the DRC and abroad, based solely on merit.
Beyond the awarding of the first scholarships, the initiative reflects the Government’s determination to strengthen the competitiveness of the Congolese education system by making merit a driving force for social mobility.
The Government also aims to build a pool of highly qualified professionals capable of supporting the country’s modernization and addressing the scientific, technological, and economic challenges of the future.
With the launch of Excellentia DRC, the Congolese authorities have reaffirmed their ambition to place investment in youth at the heart of the national development strategy by promoting quality education and preparing the next generation of leaders who will contribute to the growth and international influence of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Mike Pakoto | TOP243NEWS