President Bola Tinubu says he drove a taxi in the United States and took other jobs after arriving there to pay for his university education. He also says he postponed starting his studies for several months so he could save enough money, later working in Chicago to cover tuition, accommodation and living costs while completing his degree.
Tinubu links the personal experience to his administration’s education agenda. He highlights Nigeria’s Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), saying it has disbursed more than ₦372 billion in interest-free student loans since reforms under a 2024 Students Loans (Access to Higher Education) Act. He also points to technical and vocational education efforts, including applications received, technical colleges rehabilitated, and claims of free tuition and other support for students in relevant colleges, alongside ongoing university-focused measures mentioned in partial form by one outlet.
Across coverage, outlets largely mirror the same core narrative from Tinubu and present it primarily as background to education policy and funding initiatives.
