Minister of Education Dr. Tunji Alausa has reaffirmed that education is central to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s ambition of building a $1 trillion Nigerian economy by 2030, describing human capital development as the foundation of the administration’s long-term economic transformation agenda.
Speaking during an interview with journalists in Abuja, Alausa said the Federal Government is implementing reforms aimed at expanding access to quality education, strengthening skills development and repositioning tertiary institutions to produce graduates capable of competing in the global economy.
According to the minister, the Tinubu administration is leveraging Nigeria’s youthful population by equipping young people with the knowledge and practical skills needed to drive economic growth at home while meeting the demand for skilled professionals across Africa and other parts of the world.
“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,” Alausa said.
The minister disclosed that the government has significantly expanded admissions into health-related programmes to address shortages of critical professionals. He said annual enrolment into nursing schools has increased from about 20,000 before the current administration to approximately 50,000, while admissions into medicine, pharmacy and dentistry have also risen substantially.
He expressed confidence that the increased enrolment would help bridge the country’s healthcare workforce gap within the next few years as newly trained graduates enter the labour market.
On student financing, Alausa said the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) was deliberately designed to remain financially sustainable and continue supporting students for generations.
He noted that President Tinubu had consistently directed ministers and heads of government agencies to ensure that reforms introduced by the administration are built to endure beyond its tenure.
“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.
The minister also attributed the prevailing industrial peace in Nigeria’s tertiary education sector to the government’s engagement with academic and non-academic staff unions. He said the administration fulfilled its commitment to pay 50 per cent of withheld salaries inherited from previous disputes and approved a salary increase of nearly 40 per cent for tertiary institution workers, measures he said have helped restore confidence in the sector.
Highlighting the impact of ongoing reforms, Alausa said the latest Times Higher Education World University Rankings showed an increase in the number of Nigerian universities recognised globally from 21 to 24, with public universities reclaiming the country’s top positions for the first time in several years.
He reaffirmed the Federal Ministry of Education’s commitment to policies that expand access to quality education, strengthen human capital development and prepare Nigerian youths to compete in an increasingly knowledge-driven global economy.
“As the President advances his vision of building a one trillion-dollar economy, education will remain at the centre of that transformation,” the minister said.
