Tinubu Recalls Working as US Taxi Driver to Fund University Education

President Bola Tinubu has recalled working as a taxi driver and taking up several jobs in the United States to finance his university education, saying the experience shaped his commitment to expanding access to education in Nigeria.

The President said he had to delay starting school for several months after arriving in the US because he needed time to save enough money to pay for his education.

Tinubu shared the experience in a post on his X handle on Wednesday while highlighting his administration’s achievements and ongoing reforms in the education sector.

“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 arriving in Chicago, he worked different jobs to cover his university expenses, including tuition and accommodation. Tinubu said the experience made him understand the financial difficulties students face while pursuing higher education.

The President said his administration was committed to ensuring that every Nigerian child had access to quality education, regardless of their background or their parents’ financial circumstances.

Highlighting the government’s interventions, Tinubu disclosed that the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) had provided more than N372bn in student loans to cover institutional fees and upkeep allowances.

NELFUND was established under the Students Loans (Access to Higher Education) Act, 2024, signed by Tinubu in April 2024. The scheme provides interest-free financial assistance to eligible students in public tertiary institutions, with approved tuition fees paid directly to institutions and maintenance allowances transferred to beneficiaries.

The President also said the government’s technical and vocational education programme had received more than 2.8 million applications, while 38 technical colleges had been rehabilitated. He added that students in federal and selected state technical colleges now receive 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 includes a 40 per cent increase in academic staff remuneration and measures aimed at improving stability in the university system.

“A four-year course must take four years. Our young people deserve to complete their education on time and get on with their lives. Promise made, promise kept,” he said.

Tinubu further disclosed that the government was investing N110bn in the rehabilitation of 24 medical schools. 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.

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

The President also claimed that more than one million children who were previously out of school had returned to learning. He said the government was investing in teacher development, expanding educational opportunities for girls and implementing a new national curriculum that restores Nigerian History to classrooms.

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

He also announced an interactive A–Z platform for the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative, which provides information on government programmes, reforms, achievements and opportunities across the education system.

The President urged Nigerians to visit edu4pbat.ng to explore the platform and share feedback on challenges affecting schools and education in their communities.

He said the government wanted parents, students and teachers to identify available opportunities and report areas where educational programmes were not working as expected.

Tinubu maintained that a child’s background should not determine their future, insisting that every Nigerian deserves a fair opportunity to achieve their educational ambitions.