Tinubu Recalls Working as Taxi Driver in America to Pay University Fees

President Bola Tinubu has revealed how he financed his university education in the United States by working as a taxi driver and taking up other jobs, saying his experience continues to shape his vision for education in Nigeria.

Tinubu shared the experience on his X handle on Wednesday, recalling that he had to postpone the commencement of his studies for several months to raise enough money before moving to Chicago.

According to the President, he took on different jobs after arriving in the American city to meet his educational and living expenses.

“When I first arrived in the United States as a young man, I drove a taxi to earn money for my education. I even had to postpone starting school for several months to save enough,” he said.

“When I eventually got to Chicago, I worked different jobs to support myself and pay my way through university. I know what it means to worry about tuition, accommodation and how to make ends meet while pursuing an education.”

Reflecting on his experience, Tinubu maintained that no Nigerian child should be denied educational opportunities because of their parents’ financial situation or circumstances of birth.

He described education as a central pillar of his administration, pointing to several government interventions aimed at reducing financial barriers and improving learning facilities across the country.

Among the initiatives highlighted was the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), through which he said over N372 billion had been made available to students for institutional fees and upkeep.

The President also disclosed that the government’s technical and vocational education programme had recorded more than 2.8 million applications, alongside the rehabilitation of 38 technical colleges.

He said students attending federal and selected state technical colleges now receive free tuition, boarding, textbooks and uniforms.

On the university sector, Tinubu announced that a new agreement had been reached with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), featuring a 40 per cent increase in academic staff remuneration and provisions aimed at improving stability in the nation’s universities.

He insisted that students must be able to graduate within the stipulated duration of their academic programmes.

“A four-year course must take four years. Our young people deserve to complete their education on time and get on with their lives,” he stated.

Tinubu further disclosed that N110 billion was being invested in the rehabilitation of 24 medical schools as part of efforts to strengthen healthcare education.

He said annual nursing enrolment had climbed from 28,000 to 115,000, while enrolment in medical and dental programmes had increased from 5,000 to 12,000.

The President added that over one million children who had previously been out of school had returned to the classroom.

He also listed teacher development, increased educational opportunities for girls and the introduction of a revised national curriculum featuring Nigerian history among the administration’s ongoing education priorities.

Tinubu praised the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, the Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad, and the entire education team for their role in implementing the reforms.

He called on parents, students, teachers and other Nigerians to make use of the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative’s interactive A–Z platform, developed by the Ministry of Education to explain available government programmes and opportunities.

He equally encouraged citizens to report problems affecting schools and education in their communities to help the government identify areas requiring urgent attention.

Emphasising the importance of education to national development, Tinubu said:

“Our journey from reform to opportunities and shared prosperity must begin with education.

“The circumstances of a child’s birth should never determine the limits of their ambition. Our responsibility is to give every Nigerian child a fair chance to fulfil their potential.

“We have more work to do, and I am determined to see it through,” he added.

Africans Angle News