Presidential aide rallies Katsina students for Tinubu’s re-election

The Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Student Engagement, Hon. Sunday Asefon, has called on students in Katsina State to mobilise support for the President’s re-election in 2027, citing his administration’s interventions in education, student financing, skills development and efforts to ensure stability in the academic calendar.

Asefon made the call during the Renewed Hope Student Leaders Engagement and Digital Acceleration Programme in Katsina State, where he urged student leaders to mobilise their colleagues for massive participation in the 2027 general elections and support Tinubu’s bid to remain in office.

He said the administration had demonstrated its commitment to improving access to education and addressing challenges confronting Nigerian students through policies and programmes designed to reduce financial barriers, strengthen academic stability and equip young people with relevant skills for the changing world of work.

According to him, the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has become a major intervention in ensuring that financial difficulties do not force students to abandon their tertiary education.

He disclosed that, as of early October 2026, NELFUND had disbursed N372.62 billion in student loans since the launch of its student loan portal, comprising N192.89 billion for institutional fees and N179.73 billion for students’ upkeep allowances.

The student loan scheme provides financial assistance to eligible students to cover approved institutional charges and living expenses, thereby easing the financial burden on students and their parents.

Asefon said the initiative was helping to expand access to tertiary education by providing opportunities for students from financially disadvantaged backgrounds to pursue their academic ambitions.

He said the intervention reflected Tinubu’s commitment to ensuring that no Nigerian was compelled to abandon education simply because their family could not afford the cost.

The presidential aide also highlighted improvements in the stability of the university academic calendar, attributing the development to the administration’s engagement with university-based unions and efforts to fulfil agreements reached with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and other staff unions.

He said the improved industrial relations environment had helped reduce disruptions to academic activities, giving students greater confidence that they could complete their programmes within the stipulated period.

“For too long, students lost valuable months and years because of prolonged industrial disputes. Today, we are witnessing a new era of academic stability, with three years of uninterrupted academic calendars,” he said.

According to him, the development would enable students to graduate on time and reduce the uncertainty associated with recurring strikes in the university system.

“Under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, we are committed to ensuring that a four-year programme takes four years and a five-year programme takes five years. That is what our students deserve,” he added.

On skills acquisition, Asefon said the Federal Government was strengthening Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) to equip young Nigerians with practical skills that would enable them to become self-reliant and contribute meaningfully to national development.

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He disclosed that more than 250,000 Nigerians were undergoing skills training at over 1,200 accredited training centres across the country.

He said the initiative, championed by the Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Olatunji Alausa, was designed to provide young people with practical, industry-relevant skills to secure employment, establish businesses and compete in an increasingly skills-driven global economy.

According to him, education must go beyond acquiring certificates to include innovation, entrepreneurship, productivity and the ability to earn a decent livelihood.

He urged students who might not follow the conventional university pathway to take advantage of TVET opportunities, noting that technical and vocational education offered an alternative route to economic independence and meaningful participation in national development.

The presidential aide also stressed the importance of digital literacy, urging students to acquire technology-related skills and take advantage of opportunities in artificial intelligence, innovation and the digital economy.

He said the Renewed Hope Student Leaders Engagement and Digital Acceleration Programme was designed to strengthen the relationship between the Federal Government and students while preparing young Nigerians for emerging opportunities in the global economy.

Asefon challenged student leaders to become advocates for their colleagues by providing information about government interventions, scholarships, skills development programmes and other opportunities available to students.

He urged them to provide constructive feedback on students’ concerns and aspirations, adding that the government was interested in strengthening student engagement rather than silencing their voices.

He also encouraged students to use digital platforms to discover scholarships, internships, fellowships and training programmes while developing innovative solutions to problems in their communities.

“The responsibility of government is to create an enabling environment, provide opportunities and support citizens to succeed. Your responsibility is to recognise those opportunities, acquire the necessary skills and use them to transform your life and your community,” he said.

Asefon reaffirmed the commitment of the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Student Engagement to ensuring that students’ concerns and aspirations remained central to government engagement.

He said the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda was aimed at creating opportunities for young Nigerians to acquire knowledge, develop skills and build meaningful futures, irrespective of their backgrounds.

The Katsina visit forms part of the ongoing engagement with and mobilisation of student leaders across the country ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Asefon urged the students to participate actively in the electoral process and support Tinubu’s re-election, arguing that continuity would enable the administration to sustain its education reforms and other development initiatives.