The Federal Government has intensified its engagement with Nigerian students ahead of the 2027 general election, with the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, urging the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) to mobilise 10 million votes for President Bola Tinubu.

Dr Tunji Alausa made the call on Thursday in Abuja during a meeting with NANS leaders and other student representatives.

The minister anchored his appeal on the administration’s interventions in the education sector, including the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), technical and vocational education, student accommodation and other initiatives targeted at improving the welfare of students.

He said the government’s investment in education was aimed at creating better opportunities for young Nigerians and ensuring that students benefited directly from ongoing reforms. Alausa highlighted NELFUND as one of the administration’s major interventions, noting that the scheme had provided financial support to millions of students.

He also cited investments in student accommodation, TVET infrastructure and campus development, while outlining plans to improve transportation and power supply in tertiary institutions.The minister further pointed to the government’s Student Venture Capital Grant, saying the initiative was designed to help students turn innovative ideas into viable businesses.

He urged student leaders to support the administration’s efforts and mobilise their members ahead of the 2027 election. The NANS leadership, while commending some of the government’s education initiatives, also raised concerns over federal scholarships, illegal admissions and accreditation challenges affecting students in some institutions.

The student body called for stronger government action to address the issues and protect students from being admitted into programmes that lack proper accreditation. Alausa assured the students that the ministry was working to address the concerns and would continue to engage student leaders on issues affecting tertiary education.

The meeting comes as political activities ahead of the 2027 presidential election begin to intensify, with the student population emerging as a key constituency in the battle for youth support. (Guardian)