Students, youths remain at centre of my development agenda -Tinubu

President Bola Tinubu has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to placing students and young people at the heart of Nigeria’s development through the Renewed Hope Agenda, describing the country’s youthful population as its greatest asset and the driving force for future national prosperity.

Speaking through his Senior Special Assistant on Students’ Engagement, Hon. Sunday Asefon, during the weekend at the Renewed Hope Student Leaders’ Engagement and Digital Acceleration Programme for the South-East held at the University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus, President Tinubu said his government was implementing policies aimed at removing barriers that hinder young people from attaining quality education, acquiring skills and building successful careers.

He said the administration was determined to ensure that no Nigerian student was denied educational opportunities because of financial or other challenges.

“The President firmly believes that Nigeria’s greatest asset is not just its natural resources but the demography of its youthful population,” Asefon said.

He urged students across the five South-East states to embrace digital innovation, entrepreneurship and responsible leadership, stressing that emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, data analytics, cybersecurity, software development and digital marketing were reshaping the global economy.

According to him, the future belongs to young people equipped with the knowledge, skills and courage to adapt to rapidly changing global realities.

“Our responsibility is to ensure that Nigerian students are not mere consumers of technology but creators of solutions, innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders who will drive the digital ecosystem,” he said.

Asefon noted that the South-East had distinguished itself in enterprise, innovation and resilience, making it an appropriate venue to engage students on digital transformation and youth development.

He explained that the programme was designed to strengthen collaboration between government and student leaders, expose participants to digital opportunities that would enhance employability and entrepreneurship, and inspire them to leverage technology to solve societal challenges.

He also urged student leaders to uphold integrity, accountability and service while promoting unity, peaceful coexistence and innovation within their institutions and communities.

The event also featured presentations on the federal government’s youth-focused education and digital transformation initiatives.

Managing Director of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), Akintunde Sawyerr, disclosed that although the Fund had recorded significant nationwide success, the South-East remained the geopolitical zone with the lowest number of applicants for the student loan scheme.

He appealed to students in the region to take advantage of the interest-free loan programme established by President Tinubu to ensure that no Nigerian dropped out of school because of financial constraints.

According to him, NELFUND has received about 1.7 million applications and has processed approximately 1.5 million, with ₦282 billion disbursed to beneficiaries.

He said over ₦183 billion had been paid directly to tertiary institutions for tuition, while nearly ₦98 billion had been released to students as monthly upkeep allowances.

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“We need more students from the South-East to take advantage of this opportunity. The President has made this loan interest-free. You don’t begin repayment until you have secured employment, and if you lose your job, repayment stops,” Sawyerr said.

He further assured students that beneficiaries would not be prevented from travelling abroad for further studies or employment because they accessed the loan.

“The competition for global champions is based on knowledge. We are here to ensure you complete your education. The President has made it clear that nobody should drop out of school because of lack of funds,” he added.

Students from institutions across the South-East received laptop computers and other digital tools to support digital learning, innovation and entrepreneurship.

Also speaking, the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Dr. Kingsley Udeh, represented by the Public Relations Officer of the Projects Development Institute, Dr. Ijeoma Eze, urged Nigerian students to embrace technology and innovation as pathways to national development.

He said the Renewed Hope Agenda was driving initiatives such as NELFUND, HOPE-EDU, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative (NESRI), Universal Basic Education reforms and the Nigerian Learning Passport to equip young Nigerians with relevant skills.

“The future belongs to innovators, creators, problem-solvers and entrepreneurs—not merely certificate holders,” he said, encouraging students to acquire skills in artificial intelligence, software development, robotics, cybersecurity and digital entrepreneurship.

The guest lecturer, Dr. Ifeanyichukwu I. Achi of the Department of Computer Science and Informatics, Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike, challenged students to move beyond acquiring knowledge to practical application.

Speaking on the theme, “Empowering Students with Digital Skills and Innovation”, he said willingness to apply knowledge remained the key to success, urging participants to become solution providers capable of addressing societal challenges through innovation.

The event attracted more than 2,000 students, student leaders, academics, innovators and development partners from across the South-East.

One of the major highlights was the exhibition of student innovations, including an electric tricycle and a teacher attendance monitoring device developed by students of the Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), Enugu.

Outstanding participants during the interactive sessions and innovation presentations also received awards and other incentives from the organisers and programme partners.