• President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has restated the Federal Government’s resolve to ensure a stable academic calendar, better welfare for university staff, and far-reaching reforms to strengthen Nigeria’s tertiary education sector.

Speaking through the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, at the 45th Convocation Ceremony of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, the President, as Visitor to the institution, congratulated the university’s management, staff, graduands, parents, and alumni. He described the ceremony as evidence of ABU’s enduring commitment to teaching, research, and community development.

Tinubu praised the university for aligning with the Tertiary Institutions Governance and Transparency Programme, an initiative aimed at promoting accountability, transparency, and data-driven administration in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda.

Emphasising the importance of uninterrupted academic calendars, the President assured that his administration would continue to prevent avoidable disruptions in tertiary institutions. He disclosed that the government had adopted a unified negotiation process through the Tertiary Institutions Expanded Negotiation Committee, chaired by Alhaji Mahmud Yayale Ahmed, to streamline engagements with university unions.

He commended the committee for reaching agreements with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and assured that negotiations with other unions would soon be concluded.

On staff welfare, Tinubu announced the rollout of a Staff Loan Scheme for academic and non-academic workers in tertiary institutions. The scheme offers zero-interest loans ranging from ₦1 million to ₦10 million through the Bank of Industry, with the Federal Ministry of Education covering the interest. He revealed that ₦40 billion has been set aside for the programme this year, with a five-year repayment period and a one-year moratorium.

The President also applauded ABU’s efforts in reducing electricity costs through energy conservation and encouraged the institution to develop a comprehensive energy policy. He disclosed that ABU would benefit from Phase IV of the Energising Education Programme, which aims to provide round-the-clock electricity to federal tertiary institutions. Previous phases, he noted, had delivered over 100 megawatts of clean energy to 24 universities and teaching hospitals.

Addressing the graduands, Tinubu urged them to use their knowledge productively and embrace entrepreneurship rather than rely solely on job opportunities. He praised ABU’s Students Enterprise Competition, which attracted more than 300 student-led teams, and encouraged students nationwide to take advantage of the Students’ Innovation Venture Capital Grant, offering up to ₦50 million in non-equity seed funding, alongside mentorship and incubation support.

The President also highlighted the National Implementation Guidelines on Drug and Substance Use in Nigerian Institutions, describing it as a critical policy under the Renewed Hope Agenda to tackle drug abuse among students. The policy, implemented in partnership with the NDLEA, focuses on curriculum reforms, awareness campaigns, teacher training, and drug-testing measures.

Tinubu further commended ABU for emerging as the Overall Winner of the 5th National Tertiary Admissions Performance Merit Awards, earning a ₦500 million mega award from JAMB. He said the achievement reflected ongoing reforms to expand access to tertiary education, which could increase admissions by up to 300,000 students annually.

He disclosed that ABU would also receive a ₦4 billion allocation under the High Impact Intervention Projects and highlighted reforms to the national scholarship programme targeting students in critical health-related fields.

In his closing remarks, the President urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and security conscious, noting that insecurity continues to divert resources meant for national development. He congratulated the graduates and described their graduation as the beginning of greater opportunities.