Favour Ishember, Abuja
Education Minister Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, CON, has called on the National Association of Nigerian Students and other campus leaders to rally 10 million student votes for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s second-term bid in 2027.
He said keeping the current administration in office is key to protecting progress already made in funding students, building skills, upgrading campuses, and widening access to higher education.
Alausa delivered the message in Abuja during a courtesy visit by NANS leadership and other student groups. He told them the 2027 election matters directly to students because today’s policies will determine the quality of their schooling, job readiness, and future opportunities.
According to the Minister, President Tinubu has shown strong commitment to young Nigerians by tackling both urgent problems and long-standing weaknesses in the education system. The focus, he said, has moved past just building classrooms to include student loans, housing, technical and vocational training, entrepreneurship support, campus facilities, and efforts to keep the school calendar stable.
He pointed to the Nigerian Education Loan Fund as a flagship program. About N200 billion has been earmarked for it so far, with over 1.6 million students already supported. Alausa noted that new directives from the President on extra funding streams will make NELFUND more sustainable, and he confirmed that the monthly living stipend for beneficiaries will continue.
Other major investments he listed include: Student housing, more than N200 billion committed to expand accommodation; TVET: over N150 billion for technical and vocational infrastructure; Campus power: rollout of renewable energy projects in federal universities and polytechnics to keep labs, workshops, libraries and hostels running.
Transport: deployment of more campus tricycles to reduce movement challenges; Startups: the Student Venture Capital Grant, which is helping students launch businesses and create jobs, with plans to raise the grant limit in the next phase.
Alausa said government is also working on the day-to-day factors that affect learning and graduation. Ongoing dialogue with the Academic Staff Union of Universities is aimed at preserving stability and ensuring that a four-year degree is completed in four years.
Alausa assured the group that the Ministry is treating the issues seriously. He said work is ongoing to resolve scholarship funding shortfalls, tighten admission procedures, and carry out a full review of the accreditation system so students are not trapped in unapproved courses or left stranded after years of study. Relevant agencies and partners, he added, are being mobilized to act quickly.
The Minister promised to keep communication lines open with student leadership and to keep acting on matters affecting learning and welfare. He said the administration will stay focused on delivering President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda in education, with the goal of giving Nigerian youths quality learning, relevant skills, job opportunities, and a real chance to drive national growth.
Earlier, the President’s Senior Special Assistant on Student Engagement, Comrade Sunday Asefon, said the meeting was meant to deepen direct communication between the Presidency, the Education Ministry and student bodies. He praised NANS and other leaders for pushing student welfare issues, adding that their collaboration is vital to spotting problems and finding workable solutions across campuses.
NANS President, Comrade Babatunde Afeez Akinteye, thanked President Tinubu and the Minister for programs like NELFUND and TVET. He said the student loan has changed lives and that the monthly upkeep support has eased financial pressure for many students, urging the government to keep it going.
Akinteye also flagged three concerns: delays in funding for Federal Scholarship Awards, illegal admissions, and accreditation gaps in some schools. He asked for tougher oversight to stop institutions from enrolling students into unapproved or ill-equipped programs, and pledged that student leaders are ready to work with the government to fix it.
For a better society
Follow us across our platforms:
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/championnewsonline/
Facebook – https://web.facebook.com/championnewsonline
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/champion-newspapers-limited/
https://x.com/championnewsng/
You can also like and comment on our YouTube videos.
https://youtu.be/QIBfD1tT80w?si=R4Qf3so2LxYu3GC2
