President says financial struggles inspired student loan scheme, highlights ₦372bn NELFUND disbursement and other education reforms
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has revealed that he worked as a taxi driver and took up several other jobs in the United States to finance his university education, saying the experience shaped his determination to make education more accessible to Nigerian children.
The President said his personal struggles with tuition fees, accommodation and other living expenses as a young student informed his administration’s commitment to removing financial barriers to education through initiatives such as the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND).
Tinubu disclosed this in a statement issued on Wednesday while highlighting his administration’s education sector reforms and ongoing interventions under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
Recounting his experience in the United States, the President said he had to postpone starting school for several months after arriving in the country to enable him to save enough money for his education.
He explained that after moving to Chicago, he worked different jobs, including driving a taxi, to support himself and meet the financial demands of university education.
“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,” Tinubu said.
He added that his experience of combining work with academic pursuits had given him a better understanding of the difficulties confronting students from financially disadvantaged backgrounds.
“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 said.
The President’s comments come amid growing attention to the cost of tertiary education in Nigeria and efforts by the Federal Government to expand access to financial support for students.
Highlighting his administration’s interventions, Tinubu disclosed that more than ₦372 billion had been provided in student loans through NELFUND to cover institutional fees and students’ upkeep.
The scheme is designed to help eligible Nigerian students in public tertiary institutions overcome financial difficulties that could prevent them from pursuing or completing their education.
NELFUND forms part of the Federal Government’s strategy to improve access to higher education by providing financial assistance to students who might otherwise struggle to meet the cost of their studies.
The initiative has become one of the major components of the administration’s education reform programme, particularly as families continue to contend with rising education and living expenses.
Tinubu also disclosed that the government’s technical and vocational education programme had attracted more than 2.8 million applications.
According to him, 38 technical colleges have been rehabilitated, while students in federal and selected state technical colleges now benefit from free tuition, boarding facilities, textbooks and uniforms.
The programme is aimed at strengthening technical and vocational education and equipping young Nigerians with practical skills needed for employment, entrepreneurship and industrial development.
The Federal Ministry of Education’s Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative (NESRI) identifies technical and vocational education and training (TVET) as one of its six major reform pillars.
Other pillars focus on science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medical sciences; out-of-school children; girl-child education; data and digitalisation; and education quality assurance.
The initiative is intended to reposition Nigeria’s education system towards a knowledge-based economy by improving access, strengthening skills development and aligning educational programmes with national manpower requirements.
ASUU agreement targets university stability
On university education, Tinubu said his administration had reached a new agreement with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), providing for a 40 per cent increase in academic staff remuneration and measures to improve stability in the university system.
The Federal Ministry of Education had earlier confirmed that the renegotiated agreement included a 40 per cent upward review of academic staff emoluments, effective January 1, 2026.
The revised remuneration is implemented through a Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance, covering professional needs such as journal publications, conference participation, internet access, learned society membership and book allowances.
The Federal Government has described the agreement as an important step towards improving industrial relations, strengthening university operations and promoting uninterrupted academic calendars.
Tinubu stressed that students must be able to complete their academic programmes within the stipulated periods, rather than spending additional years in universities because of avoidable disruptions.
“A four-year course must take four years. Our young people deserve to complete their education on time and get on with their lives,” he said.
In a related development, the Federal Ministry of Finance disclosed on October 25 that the Federal Government had disbursed ₦38.93 billion to 166 public tertiary institutions under the Needs Assessment Revitalisation Fund.
The beneficiaries comprise 79 universities, 46 polytechnics and 41 colleges of education.
According to the ministry, ₦28.5 billion was allocated to universities, ₦5.8 billion to polytechnics and ₦4.7 billion to colleges of education.
The intervention is intended to address infrastructure deficiencies and improve teaching and learning facilities across public tertiary institutions.
Tinubu further highlighted government investment in medical education, disclosing that ₦110 billion was being committed to the rehabilitation of medical schools.
He said the administration was working to increase the capacity of Nigerian institutions to train more doctors, nurses, dentists and other healthcare professionals.
According to the President, annual nursing enrolment had increased from 28,000 to 115,000, while medical and dental enrolment had risen 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 said.
The Federal Ministry of Education’s published information on the High Impact Intervention Project for Medical Schools Rehabilitation identifies the ₦110 billion investment as part of efforts to improve medical training infrastructure, provide better facilities and strengthen healthcare workforce development.
The ministry’s published project details identify 18 medical schools across the six geopolitical zones as beneficiaries of the intervention.
Over one million out-of-school children returned to learning
The President also said more than one million children who were previously out of school had returned to learning through government interventions.
He identified teacher development, increased access to education for girls and curriculum reform as other areas receiving attention under his administration.
One of the major curriculum changes highlighted by the President is the restoration of Nigerian History to classroom teaching, a move aimed at strengthening students’ understanding of the country’s history, identity and cultural heritage.
The Federal Government’s out-of-school children interventions also include the activities of the National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children Education, alongside school enrolment campaigns and learning support programmes.
NESRI identifies the reintegration of out-of-school children as a major priority, with interventions targeting vulnerable children and communities with limited access to formal education.
Tinubu commended the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, the Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad, and other members of the education team for their contributions to the implementation of the reforms.
He also announced the development of an interactive A–Z platform for the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative, designed to provide information about government programmes, policies, achievements and opportunities across the education system.
The platform is expected to help students, parents, teachers and other stakeholders understand the various interventions and identify programmes from which they can benefit.
The President encouraged Nigerians to visit edu4pbat.ng to explore the initiative and obtain information about available educational opportunities.
He further urged citizens to report challenges affecting education delivery in their communities, noting that feedback from parents, teachers, students and other stakeholders would help the government identify gaps and improve implementation.
“Our journey from reform to opportunities and shared prosperity must begin with education,” he said.
He maintained that a child’s background or family financial circumstances should not determine the extent of their educational and career ambitions.
“The circumstances of a child’s birth should never determine the limits of their ambition. Our responsibility is to give every Nigerian child a fair chance to fulfil their potential,” Tinubu added.
The President said his administration remained committed to expanding educational opportunities, improving the quality of teaching and learning, strengthening technical skills development and ensuring that Nigerian students could pursue their ambitions without being constrained by financial difficulties.