The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, has urged the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, and other student leaders to mobilize 10 million student votes for President Bola Tinubu during the 2027 general election.
Alausa made the call on Thursday in Abuja, according to a statement issued by Mr. Ikharo Attah, his Special Adviser on Media and Communications, saying continuity of the Tinubu administration was critical to sustaining ongoing reforms in student financing, skills development, infrastructure and access to tertiary education.
He said Nigerian students had a direct stake in the 2027 election, noting that government policies would have a significant impact on their education, skills, employment prospects and future opportunities.
According to Alausa, Tinubu has demonstrated commitment to young Nigerians through policies aimed at addressing immediate challenges as well as longstanding gaps in the education sector.
He said the administration’s interventions had gone beyond the conventional provision of classrooms to cover student financing, accommodation, technical and vocational education, entrepreneurship and campus infrastructure.
Alausa identified the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, NELFUND, as one of the administration’s major interventions, saying about N200 billion had been committed to the scheme, with more than 1.6 million students benefiting.
He added that recent directives on additional funding sources would further strengthen NELFUND, assuring students that the monthly upkeep allowance would continue.
The minister also highlighted government investments in student accommodation, Technical and Vocational Education and Training, TVET, campus transportation, renewable energy and entrepreneurship.
He disclosed that more than N200 billion had been committed to expanding student accommodation, while over N150 billion had been invested in TVET infrastructure.
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On entrepreneurship, Alausa said the Student Venture Capital Grant was helping students transform innovative ideas into businesses and become job creators.
He added that the government was considering increasing the grant ceiling in the next phase of the programme to enable more students to benefit.
The minister also said renewable energy projects were being expanded across federal tertiary institutions to provide reliable electricity for laboratories, workshops, libraries and hostels.
He said additional campus tricycles would be deployed to ease transportation challenges, while sustained engagement with the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, was helping to maintain academic stability.
Alausa further reiterated the administration’s commitment to ensuring that four-year degree programmes were completed within four years.
Responding to concerns raised by student leaders, the minister assured them that issues capable of disrupting the education and future of Nigerian students would not be treated with levity.
He said the ministry was working to address funding challenges affecting the Federal Scholarship Awards, strengthen admission processes and review the accreditation system.
According to him, efforts were also underway to ensure that students were not admitted into unapproved programmes or left stranded after spending years pursuing their studies.
Alausa assured student leaders that the ministry would maintain an open channel of communication with them and continue to address issues affecting students’ education and welfare.
Also speaking, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Student Engagement, Mr. Sunday Asefon, said the visit by NANS and other student associations was aimed at strengthening direct engagement between the Presidency, the Ministry of Education and the organized student community.
Asefon commended student leaders for their advocacy on student welfare, saying their partnership with government was essential to identifying challenges and developing practical solutions across tertiary institutions.
The NANS President, Babatunde Akinteye, in his remarks, commended Tinubu and Alausa for interventions in tertiary education, particularly NELFUND and TVET.
Akinteye said the student loan scheme had made a significant difference in the lives of beneficiaries, while the monthly upkeep allowance had provided relief to students facing financial difficulties.
However, he expressed concern over challenges surrounding Federal Scholarship Awards, illegal admissions and accreditation in some institutions.
He called for stronger regulatory action to protect students from institutions admitting them into programmes without the required approval or capacity.
NAN
