President Bola Tinubu has recounted how he worked multiple jobs, including driving a taxi, to finance his university education in the United States, saying the experience shaped his views on access to education and the reforms introduced by his administration.
The President made this known in a personally signed statement released on Wednesday, in which he reflected on his years in the United States and explained how his struggles as a student influenced his belief that financial difficulties should not prevent young Nigerians from pursuing higher education.
Tinubu said his journey was far from easy when he arrived in America, revealing that he had to postpone his admission for several months to save enough money to begin his studies.
“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.
He added that after moving to Chicago, he took up different jobs to meet his educational and living expenses while studying at Chicago State University (CSU).
“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 those experiences gave him a personal understanding of the difficulties students face when they have to balance academic responsibilities with the financial demands of staying in school.
According to him, the experience strengthened his conviction that every Nigerian child should have access to quality education, irrespective of their family background or financial circumstances.
His remarks came a day after the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, disclosed that Tinubu studied accounting at Chicago State University and graduated with a first-class degree, describing him as a genius.
Tinubu used his statement to highlight several education initiatives introduced by his administration, insisting that expanding access to education remains a major priority.
He disclosed that the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) had provided more than N372bn in student loans to cover institutional fees and students’ upkeep.
The President also pointed to growing interest in technical and vocational education, saying the programme had attracted more than 2.8 million applications.
He said the Federal Government had rehabilitated 38 technical colleges, while students in federal and selected state technical institutions now benefit from free tuition, boarding, textbooks and uniforms.
On university education, Tinubu highlighted the agreement reached with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) in January, which included a 40 per cent increase in academic staff remuneration and measures aimed at improving stability in the university system.
He said the government was committed to ensuring that students completed their programmes within the stipulated period, rather than spending additional years in universities because of disruptions.
“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.
Tinubu also highlighted investments in medical education, disclosing that approximately N110bn had been committed to the rehabilitation of 24 medical schools.
He said annual nursing enrolment had increased from 28,000 to 115,000, while admission into medical and dental programmes had risen from 5,000 to 12,000.
“Nigeria needs more doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals, and we must build the capacity to train them here at home,” he stated.
The President further disclosed that more than one million out-of-school children had returned to the classroom under his administration.
He said the government was also working to improve teacher development, expand educational opportunities for girls and introduce a revised national curriculum that restores Nigerian history to classroom learning.
Emphasising the importance of history and national identity, Tinubu said children needed to understand the country’s past to appreciate their place in its future.
“Our children must know where we have come from, understand the country they belong to, and be prepared to take responsibility for its future,” he said.
The President commended Alausa, the Minister of State for Education, Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad, and other members of the education team for their work on the ongoing reforms.
He particularly praised the development of an interactive A–Z platform for the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative (NESRI), which provides information about government programmes, reforms, achievements and opportunities across the education sector.
Tinubu urged parents, students and teachers to visit edu4pbat.ng to learn about available educational opportunities and support programmes.
He also encouraged Nigerians to report shortcomings in their communities, saying public feedback would help the government identify gaps and improve service delivery.
According to him, expanding educational opportunities is central to building a society where a person’s background does not determine how far they can go.
“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,” he said.
He acknowledged that more work remained to be done but pledged to sustain the administration’s education reforms.
“We have more work to do, and I am determined to see it through,” the President added.
