The Nigeria Higher Education Foundation (NHEF) is pleased to announce it will hold its 2015 gala on September 30th at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, New York, NY.  The event will be a festive occasion as the NHEF celebrates its accomplishments, looks toward its future, and joins Nigeria in celebrating the 55th anniversary of its Independence.

This year’s gala theme is “Unlocking Nigeria’s Potential.” The Awards gala will highlight the capability of Nigerians to transform and contribute to Nigeria’s economic development.

At this year’s gala, which will be chaired by Jide Zeitlin, chairman of Coach Inc., NHEF will salute individuals and organizations that are contributing positively to Nigeria’s progress and prosperity on all fronts.

Awards will be given to Professor Attahiru Jega, the formidable former chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission for his role in preserving the integrity of Nigeria’s democratic process; Hakeem Belo-Osagie, one of Nigeria’s most successful global entrepreneurs and a titan in Nigeria’s business landscape for his exemplar leadership in business and philanthropy; Drs. Sola and Funmi Olopade, directors at the Global Health Center at the University of Chicago and pioneers in medicine; and Tom DiNapoli, comptroller of New York State and head of the $180 billion Common Retirement Fund, an organization that is a pioneer in investing in Nigeria.

Founded by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation in 2004, NHEF’s mission is to help develop the next generation of Nigerian leaders to address and solve Nigeria’s most-pressing social problems, to enable economic development, and to promote a lasting and stable democracy.

Promoting excellence in higher education by developing a world-class higher education sector is critical to our success.

Please join us as we not only recognize our past accomplishments but also inaugurate new programs, such as the Scholars Program, which seeks to increase the number of Nigerians in the global investment industry.

For more information, please check our website at www.thenhef.org and for ticket information, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.">This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..