President Bola Tinubu has recounted how he worked as a taxi driver and took up other jobs in the United States to finance his university education, saying the experience has strengthened his commitment to expanding access to education in Nigeria.
Tinubu disclosed this in a post on his X handle on Wednesday, recalling that he had to delay his admission for several months after arriving in the United States to save enough money to begin his studies.
He said he eventually moved to Chicago, where he combined different jobs with his academic pursuits to meet the cost of tuition, accommodation and other expenses.
“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,” he said.
“When I eventually got to Chicago, I worked different jobs to support myself and pay my way through university. I know what it means to worry about tuition, accommodation and how to make ends meet while pursuing an education.”
The President said his personal experience had reinforced his belief that every Nigerian child should have access to quality education, irrespective of family background or financial circumstances.
Highlighting his administration’s education reforms, Tinubu said more than N372 billion had been disbursed through the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) to support students with institutional fees and upkeep.
He also disclosed that the Federal Government’s technical and vocational education programme had received more than 2.8 million applications, while 38 technical colleges had been rehabilitated.
According to him, students in federal and selected state technical colleges now enjoy free tuition, boarding, textbooks and uniforms.
On university education, Tinubu said his administration had reached a new agreement with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), which provides for a 40 per cent increase in academic staff remuneration and measures to promote stability in the university system.
He stressed that the government was determined to address disruptions to the academic calendar, insisting that students should complete their programmes within the stipulated period.
“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.
The President further disclosed that the Federal Government was investing N110 billion in the rehabilitation of 24 medical schools, while annual nursing enrolment had increased fromOf 28,000 to 115,000.
He said enrolment in medical and dental programmes had also risen from 5,000 to 12,000 as part of efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s capacity to train healthcare professionals locally.
Tinubu added that more than one million children who were previously out of school had returned to the classroom, while his administration was investing in teacher development, promoting girls’ education and implementing a revised national curriculum that restores Nigerian history to classrooms.
He commended the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa; Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad; and other members of the education team for their contributions to the reforms.
Tinubu also urged Nigerians to explore the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative through an interactive A–Z platform developed by the Federal Ministry of Education to provide information on government programmes and opportunities for parents, students and teachers.
He encouraged citizens to report challenges affecting schools and educational facilities in their communities, saying public feedback would help the government identify gaps and improve service delivery.
The President described education as central to his administration’s development agenda, insisting that a child’s background should not determine the limits of their aspirations.
“Our journey from reform to opportunities and shared prosperity must begin with education.
“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.
“We have more work to do, and I am determined to see it through,” he added.
