President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has said his struggles to pay for his education while studying in the United States inspired his decision to make education more accessible to Nigerian children.
The President said he understood the difficulties students face in paying school fees, finding accommodation and meeting other basic needs because he had faced similar challenges during his university days.
Tinubu shared his experience in a post on his X account on Wednesday, recalling how he worked as a taxi driver and took up other jobs to raise money for his education.
He explained that he had to delay starting school for several months to save enough money before moving to Chicago, where he combined different jobs with his university studies.
According to him, those difficult experiences shaped his belief that every Nigerian child should have access to quality education, regardless of their family background or financial situation.
“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 said his administration's education reforms were aimed at giving young Nigerians the opportunity to achieve their dreams without allowing financial challenges to stop them.
He listed some of the major steps taken by his government, including the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), which he said had provided more than ₦372 billion in loans to students to pay their school fees and support their daily needs.
Tinubu also said the government's technical and vocational education programme had received more than 2.8 million applications, while 38 technical colleges had been renovated.
He added that students in federal and selected state technical colleges now enjoy free tuition, accommodation, textbooks and uniforms.
On university education, the President said his administration had reached a new agreement with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
The agreement provides for a 40 per cent increase in the salaries and allowances of academic staff, as well as steps to improve peace and stability in the university system.
“A four-year course must take four years. Our young people deserve to complete their education on time and get on with their lives,” Tinubu said.
The President further disclosed that his government was spending ₦110 billion to renovate 24 medical schools across the country.
He also said annual admission into nursing schools had increased from 28,000 to 115,000, as part of efforts to train more health workers for the country.
Tinubu maintained that his personal experience had strengthened his belief that no Nigerian child should be denied the opportunity to succeed because of a lack of money.
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