I drove taxi to fund my education in US – Tinubu

By Kazeem Ugbodaga

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has revealed that he drove a taxi and took up different jobs in the United States to finance his university education, saying his personal struggles as a student shaped his commitment to expanding educational opportunities for Nigerian children.

Tinubu disclosed this in a statement on his official X account, where he recounted how he had to postpone starting school for several months after arriving in the United States to save enough money to support his studies.

“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,” the President said.

He explained that after arriving in Chicago, he worked different jobs to meet his educational and living expenses.

“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.

Tinubu said those experiences had remained with him, reinforcing his belief that every Nigerian child should have access to education, irrespective of their family background or financial circumstances.

“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 stated.

The President identified education as a major priority of his administration, citing the Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), technical and vocational education initiatives, university reforms and investments in medical training as some of the measures introduced by the government.

According to him, NELFUND has provided more than ₦372 billion in student loans for institutional fees and upkeep, while the government’s technical and vocational education programme has attracted over 2.8 million applications.

He also disclosed that 38 technical colleges had been rehabilitated, while students in federal and selected state technical colleges now benefit from 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), providing for 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,” he said.

The President further disclosed that the government was investing ₦110 billion in the rehabilitation of 24 medical schools, while annual nursing enrolment had increased from 28,000 to 115,000.

He added that medical and dental enrolment had also risen from 5,000 to 12,000, stressing the need to strengthen Nigeria’s capacity to train healthcare professionals locally.

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

“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.

The President commended the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad, and other officials for their efforts in implementing the government’s education reforms.

He also urged parents, students and teachers to explore the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative (NESRI) through its interactive A–Z platform at edu4pbat.ng to learn about available programmes and opportunities.

Tinubu said the government still had more work to do, adding that a child’s circumstances at birth should not determine the limits of their ambition.

“The circumstances of a child’s birth should never determine the limits of their ambition. Our responsibility is to give every Nigerian child a fair chance to fulfil their potential,” he said.

He reaffirmed his commitment to pursuing the administration’s education agenda, saying the journey towards reform, opportunity and shared prosperity must begin with education.