283
pp
By Lizzy Chirkpi
The Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila has said that Nigerian lawmakers are breathing a sigh of relief as the financial pressure to fund the education of their constituents eases, thanks to the Federal Government’s newly introduced student loan programme.
Gbajabiamila, disclosed this during the 2025 Dialogue Session of the Northern Caucus of the National Forum of Former Legislators held in Abuja. He noted that the initiative, a flagship policy under President Bola Tinubu’s administration, has already benefited over 275,000 students across Northern Nigeria, with more than ₦25 billion disbursed so far.
According to the former Speaker, before the rollout of the loan programme, many legislators were burdened with requests to cover tuition fees and living expenses for children of constituents sometimes amounting to hundreds of millions of naira annually.
“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.
He emphasized that beyond easing personal financial burdens on elected representatives, the student loan programme was also designed to promote fairness and access to education across all regions.
“The rollout of the scheme aligns with President Tinubu’s vision of inclusive governance and equitable development, devoid of tribal, ethnic, or religious considerations,” Gbajabiamila added.
He revealed that Northern Nigeria has emerged as the region with the highest number of beneficiaries so far, further demonstrating the administration’s commitment to addressing longstanding educational disparities.
Gbajabiamila explained that the student loan scheme is part of a broader reform package initiated by President Tinubu upon assuming office, even as he inherited a nation in severe economic and structural distress.
“Instead of causing panic by revealing the depth of the crisis, he immediately embarked on wide-ranging reforms of which the student loan scheme is a critical pillar,” he said.
The former Speaker of the House of Representatives also pointed to the government’s recent tax reforms as part of these systemic changes. One such reform, he noted, is the redistribution of Value Added Tax (VAT) revenue, which now allocates 55% to state governments up from the previous 15% while the Federal Government’s share drops to just 10%.
“This is a deliberate move by President Tinubu to empower subnational governments with the resources they need to address challenges at the grassroots level, especially in education,” he said.
Addressing the forum of former lawmakers, Gbajabiamila dismissed concerns that the Tinubu administration has marginalized former legislators in governance. He pointed out that several former parliamentarians, including himself, Vice President Kashim Shettima, and a number of ministers and agency heads, occupy key positions within the administration.
He urged the former lawmakers, many of whom served in the 5th to 8th National Assembly to remain patient and supportive of the administration’s long-term reforms.
“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.
Gbajabiamila concluded by reaffirming the administration’s commitment to building a more resilient and equitable Nigeria and thanked the former legislators for their continued service to the nation.
pp