Over 275,000 students in Northern Nigeria benefit from Tinubu’s student loan scheme, says Gbajabiamila

The Federal Government has revealed that over 275,000 students across Northern Nigeria have already benefited from the newly launched student loan programme.

The initiative, a flagship effort of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, has so far disbursed more than ₦25 billion to young Nigerians pursuing tertiary education.

Speaking during the 2025 Dialogue Session of the Northern Caucus of the National Forum of Former Legislators in Abuja, Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to the President, highlighted the loan scheme as a key part of the government’s development agenda.

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He revealed that beyond easing the financial burden on students and their families, the loan programme has also significantly reduced pressure on elected representatives who, in previous years, were often overwhelmed by demands to cover tuition and upkeep for constituents’ children.

“This scheme has relieved legislators of the responsibility of paying millions—sometimes hundreds of millions—of naira annually to support the education of young constituents,” he said.

According to the Chief of Staff, the rollout of the student loan scheme is in line with Tinubu’s vision of inclusive governance and equitable development, devoid of tribal, ethnic, or religious considerations.

He added that the northern region has so far emerged as the biggest beneficiary of the programme, reinforcing the administration’s commitment to addressing educational disparity across Nigeria.

While underscoring the importance of the initiative, Gbajabiamila explained that Tinubu inherited a nation on the brink, economically and structurally, but chose not to trigger panic by publicizing the extent of the crisis.

“Instead, he immediately embarked on wide-ranging reforms, of which the student loan scheme is a critical pillar”, he added.

He acknowledged that the journey toward full economic recovery is far from over but emphasized that foundational work is being done to ensure future generations inherit a more resilient and equitable Nigeria.

“We’re just beginning to emerge from the worst, and we hope that tomorrow will be better than today”, he said.

The Chief of Staff also used the opportunity to highlight complementary policies, including recent tax reforms aimed at empowering subnational governments.

“Under new VAT distribution laws, state governments will now receive 55% of VAT revenue, up from the current 15% as the federal government slashes its own share to just 10%.”, he noted.

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This, he said, is a deliberate move by Tinubu to give states more resources to address grassroots challenges, including education.

Gbajabiamila dismissed criticisms that the administration has sidelined former legislators in governance, stating that Tinubu’s cabinet includes a large number of former lawmakers, including himself, the Vice President, several ministers, and key appointees in strategic government parastatals.

He added that the administration values experience and is committed to drawing on the vast institutional knowledge of former parliamentarians to achieve its developmental goals.

Gbajabiamila further encouraged the former lawmakers, many of whom served in the 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th National Assembly to remain patient and focused.

“This is a long game. The President is putting the fundamentals in place, foundations that should have been laid 20 years ago. The consequences of these reforms may be tough, but the light is at the end of the tunnel”, he said.

He reaffirmed the administration’s dedication to equitable national progress and thanked all present for their continuous service to the nation.