The Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Students’ Engagement, Comrade Sunday Asefon, has assured that under the current administration, Nigerian universities will no longer experience shutdowns due to strike actions.
Frequent strikes, especially by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), have historically disrupted academic activities in public universities, often stalling students’ progress for several months. However, Asefon says those days are over, attributing the change to President Tinubu’s fulfilled promises to the education sector.
Speaking in Port Harcourt during the Renewed Hope Student Leaders Engagement and Capacity Building programme, Asefon said the event aimed to create awareness among students about the various government initiatives designed for their benefit.
He pointed to the student loan scheme, increased education funding, and approvals for school upgrades nationwide as evidence of President Tinubu’s commitment. “This is the first time in Nigeria’s history that ₦5.2 trillion has been allocated to education,” Asefon said, highlighting the removal of universities from the IPPIS platform and the stoppage of the 20% deduction from their Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) as further proof of reform.
“These changes mean that universities now have more autonomy and funding to operate efficiently,” he added. “President Tinubu is a promise keeper. He launched the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) within three months of taking office.”
Asefon, a former president of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), expressed concern that many students remain unaware of opportunities available through government ministries and agencies such as NELFUND, PTDF, and the Ministries of Youth, Education, and Innovation. He encouraged students to actively seek information and take advantage of these initiatives.
“This programme is not a political campaign, it’s about informing students and helping them connect directly with policymakers,” he explained. “Many students miss out on empowerment schemes simply because they don’t know about them.”
The event also featured key government representatives, including Mr. Akintunde Sawyer, Managing Director of NELFUND, who addressed misconceptions about the student loan scheme. Sawyer emphasized that the process is transparent and accessible, noting that more than 400,000 students are already benefitting.
“So far, over 760,000 Nigerians have registered, and about 745,000 have completed their applications successfully. We’ve disbursed more than ₦80 billion, tuition is paid directly to schools, while the upkeep allowance of ₦20,000 per month goes to students’ personal accounts,” he said.
Also present were Mr. Emmanuel Essien from the Ministry of Youth Development and Mr. David Atuwo, Special Adviser (Technical) to the Minister of Education. Both officials urged students to explore available opportunities and praised the engagement programme for bridging the gap between government and the student community.
Essien stated, “Students in higher institutions are often left out of empowerment programmes. This initiative ensures they are not forgotten. Our young people must be aware of what the government is doing for them.”
