The Federal Government has turned to Nigerian students for electoral support ahead of the 2027 general election, with Education Minister Tunji Alausa asking the National Association of Nigerian Students to mobilise 10 million votes for President Bola Tinubu.
Alausa made the request on Thursday in Abuja at a meeting with leaders of NANS and other student representatives, where he presented education reforms as part of the basis for continued student support for the administration.
The minister pointed to the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, technical and vocational education, student accommodation and other education initiatives as areas where the government had intervened since taking office.
His appeal places students directly within the political calculations ahead of the 2027 presidential election, with the government seeking their backing through its record in the education sector.
Government puts education projects before students
Alausa said the government’s investment in education was intended to create better opportunities for young Nigerians and give students direct benefits from the reforms.
He singled out NELFUND as one of the administration’s major interventions, saying the scheme had provided financial support to millions of students.
The minister also cited spending on student accommodation, technical and vocational education and training infrastructure, as well as campus development.
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He told the student representatives that the government had plans to improve transportation and power supply in tertiary institutions.
Another programme he presented was the Student Venture Capital Grant, which he said was designed to help students turn innovative ideas into viable businesses.
Alausa then asked the NANS leadership to support the administration and mobilise its members ahead of the 2027 election.
The request gives the student body a political assignment alongside its traditional responsibility of representing students on education and welfare issues.
NANS, however, did not limit its response to the political appeal. Its leaders commended some of the government’s education initiatives but also presented issues they said were affecting students.
Among them were federal scholarships, illegal admissions and accreditation problems in some institutions.
The student body asked the government to take stronger action on the issues, particularly to protect students from enrolling in programmes without proper accreditation.
Students seek action on admissions, scholarships
The concerns raised by NANS introduced a different dimension to the Abuja meeting, as student leaders placed unresolved education issues alongside the government’s request for electoral backing.
Illegal admissions can affect students who enter programmes without proper approval, according to the concerns presented by the student body. NANS also pointed to accreditation challenges in some institutions, without identifying the affected schools in the material provided.
Federal scholarships were another issue presented to the minister. The student body asked the government to address the matter as part of its wider concerns over student welfare.
Alausa assured the representatives that the ministry was working to address the issues raised at the meeting.
He also said the ministry would continue engaging student leaders on issues affecting tertiary education.
The engagement comes as political activity ahead of the 2027 presidential election begins to intensify. The meeting therefore placed education policies and student welfare alongside the administration’s search for support among young Nigerians.
The discussion, for the FG, centred on programmes such as NELFUND, TVET infrastructure, accommodation, campus development, transportation, power supply and the Student Venture Capital Grant.
For NANS, the meeting also provided an opportunity to place scholarship, admission and accreditation problems before the education ministry.
The 10 million-vote figure requested by Alausa now gives the student body a specific electoral task ahead of 2027. However, the meeting also showed that student leaders expect government action on education issues as part of their engagement with the administration.
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