Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, has stated that school fees in foreign countries are significantly more expensive than those in Nigeria, urging young Nigerians to conduct independent research rather than follow online trends.
Speaking during a panel session on Channels Television on Thursday, the Minister defended the educational policies of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, particularly the newly introduced student loan scheme through the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND).
Olawande emphasized that the initiative demonstrates President Tinubu’s commitment to the future of Nigerian youths by ensuring that no student drops out of school due to financial constraints.
“This is the first time a President is boldly saying no Nigerian student should leave school because of school fees. That alone shows he’s thinking about the future,” Olawande said.
He further explained that the student loan policy is part of a broader plan to support graduates beyond school. “This same government is working to ensure that after graduation, you secure a job — and once you do, you can pay back your loan. That’s how it works in many countries abroad,” he said.
Addressing the popular sentiment among young Nigerians to seek education opportunities abroad — popularly referred to as japa — the minister remarked that many of those countries have much higher tuition rates.
“Most of these countries people want to japa to — their school fees are even more expensive,” he added.
Olawande encouraged Nigerian youth to avoid following social media trends blindly and instead focus on making informed decisions based on personal research and critical thinking.
The Nigerian Education Loan Fund was recently launched as part of the Tinubu administration’s efforts to improve access to higher education and ease the financial burden on students.
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