President Bola Tinubu has recounted how he financed his university education in the United States through different jobs, including working as a taxi driver, saying the experience shaped his belief in making quality education accessible to every Nigerian child.
The President revealed that financial constraints forced him to delay his enrolment for several months after arriving in the US as he struggled to raise enough money to fund his studies.
Tinubu shared the experience in a post on his X handle on Wednesday while outlining the achievements of his administration and ongoing reforms in Nigeria’s education sector.
Recounting his early struggles, the President said, “When I first arrived in the United States as a young man, I drove a taxi to earn money for my education. I even had to postpone starting school for several months to save enough.
“When I eventually got to Chicago, I worked different jobs to support myself and pay my way through university. I know what it means to worry about tuition, accommodation and how to make ends meet while pursuing an education.
“Those experiences have stayed with me. I know what education made possible in my own life, and I believe every Nigerian child deserves that same opportunity, regardless of where they are born or what their parents can afford.”
He maintained that education remained central to his administration’s priorities, disclosing that the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) had disbursed more than N372bn in student loans to support beneficiaries with tuition and living expenses.
NELFUND was established through the Students Loans (Access to Higher Education) Act, 2024, which Tinubu signed into law in April 2024. The initiative was designed to provide interest-free financial support to qualified Nigerian students attending public tertiary institutions.
Under the programme, beneficiaries receive assistance for institutional fees and upkeep, with approved tuition payments transferred directly to their respective institutions, while maintenance allowances are paid into students’ bank accounts.
The legislation also eliminated the former family income restriction and guarantor requirement, making it possible for eligible students to access the loans without their parents meeting a prescribed income threshold or providing guarantors.
The repayment framework requires beneficiaries to commence repayment two years after completing their National Youth Service Corps programme. For those in paid employment, 10 per cent of their monthly salaries is deducted at source, while repayment obligations are linked to their employment and income status.
On technical and vocational education, Tinubu disclosed that the government’s intervention programme had recorded more than 2.8 million applications, alongside the rehabilitation of 38 technical colleges across the country.
He added that students attending federal and selected state technical colleges were benefiting from free tuition, accommodation, textbooks and school uniforms as part of efforts to strengthen technical skills development.
Addressing developments in the university system, the President said his administration had secured a fresh agreement with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), featuring a 40 per cent increase in academic staff remuneration and other measures aimed at promoting industrial harmony and improving stability in higher institutions.
Emphasising the importance of uninterrupted academic calendars, Tinubu said, “A four-year course must take four years. Our young people deserve to complete their education on time and get on with their lives. Promise made, promise kept.”
The President also announced that N110bn had been committed to renovating 24 medical schools as part of efforts to improve medical training and expand the country’s healthcare workforce.
He further revealed that annual enrolment in nursing programmes had climbed from 28,000 to 115,000, while admission figures for medical and dental courses increased from 5,000 to 12,000.
“Nigeria needs more doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals, and we must build the capacity to train them here at home,” he added.
Tinubu also reported that more than one million children who had previously been excluded from formal education had returned to school through interventions by his administration.
He said the government was equally strengthening teacher training and professional development while implementing programmes to widen access to education for girls.
As part of efforts to improve the country’s educational content, the President disclosed that a revised national curriculum was being introduced to bring Nigerian History back into classrooms.
Explaining the importance of the policy, he said, “Our children must know where we have come from, understand the country they belong to, and be prepared to take responsibility for its future.”
Tinubu acknowledged the contributions of the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, the Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad, and other officials working on the administration’s education reforms.
He also announced the launch of an interactive A–Z platform under the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative, designed to provide information on government policies, programmes, achievements and available opportunities across the education sector.
The President encouraged Nigerians to access edu4pbat.ng to familiarise themselves with the initiative and submit feedback on educational challenges confronting their respective communities.
Explaining how different stakeholders could benefit from the platform, Tinubu said, “If you are a parent, find out what opportunities are available for your children. If you are a student, explore the programmes you can benefit from. If you are a teacher, see what support is available.
“And if something is not working as it should in your community, I want to hear about it. Your feedback will help us identify problems and address them,” he said.
He concluded by stressing that a child’s background or circumstances of birth should never become a barrier to achieving their aspirations, insisting that every Nigerian child must have access to opportunities that would enable them to realise their full potential.
