The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, has called on the National Association of Nigerian Students(NANS) and other campus leaders to deliver 10 million votes for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 election.
Speaking in Abuja on Thursday during a meeting with NANS executives, Alausa said the future of ongoing reforms in education, skills and student welfare depends on the continuity of the Tinubu administration.
He told the student leaders that policies being rolled out now would directly shape their learning experience, job prospects and overall opportunities after school.
According to the Minister, Tinubu’s focus on young Nigerians extends beyond building classrooms.
He said the government was investing heavily in student financing, accommodation, technical and vocational training, entrepreneurship and campus infrastructure, while also working to protect the academic calendar from disruptions.
Alausa described the Nigerian Education Loan Fund(NELFUND) as one of the administration’s flagship programmes.
He disclosed that about N200bn has been committed to NELFUND so far, with over 1.6 million students already benefiting.
He added that new funding directives from the President would further strengthen the scheme, and assured that the monthly upkeep support for beneficiaries would continue.
The Minister who also reeled out other investments targeted at students, said more than N200bn has gone into expanding student housing across tertiary institutions, while over N150bn has been earmarked for TVET infrastructure.
Under the Student Venture Capital Grant, he noted, government is supporting students to turn ideas into businesses, and plans are underway to raise the ceiling for the grant in the next phase.
To improve daily campus life, Alausa said renewable energy projects are being scaled up in federal institutions to power laboratories, workshops, libraries and hostels.
He also announced plans to deploy more campus tricycles to ease transportation problems.
On academic stability, he said regular engagement with ASUU was helping to ensure that a four-year degree programme is completed in four years.
In his remarks, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Student Engagement, Comrade Sunday Asefon, said the meeting was part of efforts to deepen dialogue between government and student bodies.
He commended NANS for its advocacy on student welfare and said collaboration with the ministry was key to solving challenges in schools.
Also speaking, NANS President, Comrade Babatunde Afeez Akinteye, welcomed the interventions under NELFUND and TVET, saying the loan scheme had brought relief to many students but however urged government to sustain the monthly upkeep payment.
Akinteye also raised concerns over delays in Federal Scholarship Awards, illegal admissions, and accreditation issues in some institutions. He called for stronger regulation to stop schools from enrolling students into unapproved programmes.
