I Drove Taxi To Pay My University Fees In US – Tinubu

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President Bola Tinubu has revealed that he worked several jobs, including driving a taxi, to raise money for his university education in the United States.

The President shared the experience in a personally signed statement on Wednesday, explaining how the financial difficulties he faced as a student influenced his administration’s efforts to improve access to education in Nigeria.

He said he had to postpone his university admission for several months after arriving in the US because he needed time to save enough money to begin his studies.

Tinubu’s disclosure came a day after the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, described him as a genius and said he graduated with a first-class degree in Accounting from Chicago State University.

Reflecting on his experience, the President said the struggle to pay for tuition, accommodation and other expenses gave him a personal understanding of the challenges confronting students from financially disadvantaged backgrounds.

“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.”

He said those experiences strengthened his belief that every Nigerian child should have access to quality education, regardless of their family’s financial position.

Tinubu Highlights NELFUND Disbursement

The President identified education as a major priority of his administration, listing several initiatives introduced to increase access to learning and improve facilities across the country.

He disclosed that the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, NELFUND, had disbursed more than N372bn in loans to students to support the payment of institutional charges and living expenses.

According to him, the government’s technical and vocational education programme had also received more than 2.8 million applications.

Tinubu said 38 technical colleges had been renovated as part of efforts to strengthen vocational training and provide students with practical skills.

He added that students in federal and selected state technical institutions now benefit from free tuition, accommodation, textbooks and uniforms.

The President also referred to the agreement reached with the Academic Staff Union of Universities in January, which provides for a 40 per cent salary increase for academic staff alongside measures intended to promote stability in the university system.

Emphasising the importance of timely graduation, he said students should be able to complete their programmes within the approved duration.

“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 stated.

N110bn Committed To Medical Schools

Tinubu also outlined his administration’s efforts to expand medical education and increase the number of healthcare professionals trained in Nigeria.

He said approximately N110bn had been committed to renovating 24 medical schools across the country.

The President further disclosed that annual admissions into nursing programmes had increased from 28,000 to 115,000, while enrolment in medical and dental programmes had risen from 5,000 to 12,000.

He said the country needed more doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers, stressing the importance of developing local institutions to train the professionals required by the health sector.

“Nigeria needs more doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals, and we must build the capacity to train them here at home,” he said.

Over One Million Out-Of-School Children Returned To Classrooms

The President also disclosed that interventions by his administration had helped return more than one million out-of-school children to classrooms.

Other initiatives he highlighted included teacher development, improved educational opportunities for girls and the introduction of a revised national curriculum that incorporates Nigerian history into classroom learning.

Explaining the decision to restore history to the curriculum, Tinubu said children needed to understand the country’s past and their responsibilities towards 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.

He commended the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, the Minister of State for Education, Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad, and other members of the education team for their contributions to the ongoing reforms.

President Unveils Education Information Platform

Tinubu also announced the development of an interactive A–Z platform for the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative.

The platform is designed to provide information about government policies, programmes, achievements and available opportunities within the education sector.

He encouraged parents, students, teachers and other Nigerians to visit edu4pbat.ng to access details of government support programmes and educational opportunities.

The President urged citizens to use the platform to understand the benefits available to them and report challenges affecting schools and learning in their communities.

Reaffirming his administration’s commitment to expanding educational access, Tinubu maintained that a child’s opportunity to receive quality education should not depend on the circumstances of their birth.

“We have more work to do, and I am determined to see it through,” he said.

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