Minister of Education Tunji Alausa
Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, has reaffirmed that education will remain the driving force behind President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s vision of building a one trillion-dollar Nigerian economy, saying the Federal Government’s sustained investments in human capital development, skills acquisition and tertiary education reforms are laying the foundation for long-term national prosperity.
Speaking during an interview with newsmen at the weekend, the Minister said the administration is deliberately repositioning Nigeria’s education sector to produce a globally competitive workforce capable of meeting the country’s development needs while supplying highly skilled professionals to Africa and the international labour market.
According to him, the Federal Government is transforming Nigeria’s youthful population into a demographic dividend by expanding access to quality education and equipping young people with the knowledge and skills required to thrive in an increasingly competitive global economy.
“We want to be the manpower supplier of the world. We need to produce competent, skilled and educated young Nigerians who will drive our economy, contribute to Africa’s growth and compete successfully across the world,” Dr. Alausa said.
The Minister said one of the administration’s major interventions has been the aggressive expansion of admissions into health-related programmes to address longstanding shortages of critical professionals.
He disclosed that annual enrolment into nursing schools has increased from about 20,000 students before the current administration assumed office to approximately 50,000 students, while admissions into medicine, pharmacy and dentistry have also been significantly expanded.
Dr. Alausa expressed confidence that the reforms would, within the next few years, eliminate the shortage of healthcare professionals as thousands of newly trained graduates enter the workforce.
He attributed the progress to President Tinubu’s unwavering commitment to education, describing it as the bedrock of Nigeria’s economic transformation and a strategic pillar of the administration’s development agenda.
“As the President advances his vision of building a one trillion-dollar economy, education will remain at the centre of that transformation,” he stated.
The Minister also assured Nigerians that the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has been deliberately structured on a sustainable financing model capable of supporting generations of students.
He explained that President Tinubu had consistently directed ministers and heads of government institutions to ensure that every major reform introduced by the administration is designed to endure beyond the lifespan of the present government.
“There is no value in introducing policies that cannot stand the test of time. Sustainability is central to this administration’s philosophy, and that principle guided the design of NELFUND,” he said.
On industrial harmony within Nigeria’s tertiary institutions, Dr. Alausa credited President Tinubu’s leadership style, anchored on dialogue, trust and mutual respect, for restoring confidence between the Federal Government and academic and non-academic staff unions.
He said the administration approached negotiations with sincerity and openness while ensuring that every agreement reached remained realistic, affordable and implementable.
According to the Minister, President Tinubu fulfilled his commitment to pay 50 per cent of the withheld salaries inherited from previous disputes within months of assuming office, a move that demonstrated credibility and rebuilt trust between government and university unions.
He added that the administration also approved a substantial salary increase of nearly 40 per cent for workers in tertiary institutions as part of broader efforts to improve staff welfare while maintaining fiscal responsibility.
Alausa noted that the renewed atmosphere of industrial peace is already producing measurable results across the higher education sector.
He pointed to the latest Times Higher Education World University Rankings, which recorded an increase in the number of Nigerian universities recognised globally from 21 to 24, with public universities reclaiming the top positions nationally for the first time in many years.
Describing the development as evidence that the Federal Government’s reforms are yielding tangible outcomes, the Minister said the improving global competitiveness of Nigerian universities reflects the impact of sustained investments in education and institutional stability.
Alausa reaffirmed the unwavering commitment of the Federal Ministry of Education to implementing transformative policies that expand access to quality education, strengthen human capital development and prepare Nigerian youths to compete and excel in a rapidly changing global economy.
He stressed that under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, education will remain the foundation for sustainable economic growth, national development and shared prosperity, while assuring Nigerians that the Ministry will continue to pursue reforms that unlock the full potential of the nation’s greatest asset, its people.
