I Drove Taxi To Fund My Education In US – Tinubu

President Bola Tinubu has recalled how he drove a taxi in the United States to raise money for his education, saying he understands the financial difficulties students face in pursuing their academic ambitions.

Tinubu said he had to postpone the commencement of his studies for several months to save enough money before eventually moving to Chicago, where he took up different jobs to support himself and pay his way through university.

The President disclosed this in a statement reflecting on his administration’s education reforms, noting that his personal experiences had strengthened his belief that every Nigerian child deserves access to quality education, regardless of their family background or financial circumstances.

“Those experiences have stayed with me. I know what education made possible in my own life, and I believe every Nigerian child deserves that same opportunity, regardless of where they are born or what their parents can afford,” he said.

Tinubu described education as a major priority of his Renewed Hope administration, highlighting several interventions aimed at expanding access to learning and improving the quality of education across the country.

He disclosed that the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) had provided over ₦372 billion in student loans for institutional fees and upkeep, helping young Nigerians remain in school and pursue their education.

According to him, the government’s technical and vocational education programme has attracted over 2.8 million applications, while 38 technical colleges have been rehabilitated.

He added that students in federal and selected state technical colleges now enjoy free school fees, boarding, textbooks and uniforms.

On university education, the President said his administration had reached a new agreement with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), providing for a 40 per cent increase in academic staff remuneration and measures to improve stability in the university system.

He stressed the need for Nigerian universities to ensure students 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.

Tinubu further disclosed that his administration was investing ₦110 billion in the rehabilitation of 24 medical schools as part of efforts to strengthen medical education in the country.

He said annual nursing enrolment had increased from 28,000 to 115,000, while medical and dental enrolment had risen from 5,000 to 12,000.

The President also revealed that over one million children who were previously out of school had been returned to learning.

He listed teacher development, expanded educational opportunities for girls and the introduction of a new national curriculum that restores Nigerian History to classrooms among other interventions being implemented by his administration.

Tinubu commended the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, the Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad, and the entire education team for their commitment to advancing reforms in the sector.

He also urged Nigerians to visit edu4pbat.ng to explore the interactive A–Z of the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative (NESRI), which provides information on government programmes, reforms, achievements and opportunities in the education sector.

The President encouraged parents, students and teachers to familiarise themselves with the available opportunities and provide feedback on challenges affecting education in their communities.

He said the circumstances of a child’s birth should never determine the limits of their ambition, stressing that every Nigerian child deserves a fair opportunity to fulfil their potential.

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