Nigeria: Shettima urges Nigerian students to disagree honestly with government policies.

Abuja, Nigeria - October 14, 2026 Vice President Kashim Shettima has urged Nigerian student leaders to engage the government honestly when they disagree with its policies. Shettima, stated this on Wednesday when he received a delegation of national student leaders from across Nigeria at the State House Presidential Villa, Abuja. The vice president said that a government that hears only applause deprives itself of the knowledge required to serve. He said that Nigerian students should be involved in decision-making, insisting that young Nigerians should be regarded as stakeholders in the country’s presence, and not only its future. Shettima said the administration’s interventions, particularly the student loan programme and sustained attention to the welfare of academic staff, are designed to keep young Nigerians in school. This, according to him, is with a view to reducing the financial burden on families and preventing recurring strikes from disrupting learning. Shettima noted that Nigerian students must transition from future prospects to active architects of today's national policy. CUE IN VIDEO “We do not need you for politics. We need you because you are the future of this country. What we have done differently is to give you a place in its present. " There is no way to rebuild Nigeria without a place for the Nigerian student at the table where decisions are made," he stated. CUE OUT VIDEO He said President Bola Tinubu was determined to sustain a more stable academic calendar across tertiary institutions by deepening reforms in education financing, student welfare and engagement with lecturers. CUE IN VIDEO “We are determined that recurring strikes should cease to dictate your academic calendar,” Shettima said. CUE OUT VIDEO He described the student loan programme established by Tinubu as one of the administration’s most consequential interventions in education. The vice president noted that the scheme helped many students remain in school despite financial pressures. CUE IN VIDEO “Each account of a student remaining in school reminds us why we hold office. Nigeria must be worthy of the talents you bring to it,” he said. CUE OUT VIDEO Shettima added that reducing the immediate burden of school funding on parents gives families greater financial breathing space and allows students to concentrate more fully on their studies. CUE IN VIDEO “We are here for the Nigerian student, and I believe that taking the immediate burden of school funding off your parents creates breathing space for the entire household,” he said. CUE OUT VIDEO Shettima said the appointment of Sunday Dayo as Senior Special Assistant to the President on Students’ Engagement, was part of efforts to strengthen the relationship between the government and the student community. He assured the delegation that the administration would continue to prioritise education, student welfare and youth inclusion as part of its broader human-capital development agenda. Earlier, President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Akinteye Afeez, pledged the resolve of Nigerian students to mobilise massively for the re-election of Tinubu at the 2027 polls. CUE IN VIDEO " As we approach another defining period in our nation's history, we consider it necessary to state clearly where we stand as Nigerian students. " As core progressives, we identify with the Renewed Hope Administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. "Being the largest constituency with the highest voting bloc, we have constituted the NANS National Election Mobilisation Committee with the mandate to mobilise 10 million votes across the six geopolitical zones. " And, like never before, we will speak in one voice, aloud, at the polls." CUE OUT VIDEO Afeez explained that the support for the administration was premised on the laudable programmes and policies of the government across different sectors and particularly in education. CUE IN VIDEO " Your Excellency, one of the policies of this administration that deserves serious consideration is the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, NELFUND. " For many years, financial hardship has forced many Nigerian students out of school. "However, with NELFUND, our academic lives are no longer in doubt or threatened. Education has been made accessible to all. " As NANS President, I believe we must defend the principle behind this initiative while ensuring its continuity and sustainability, giving this administration a second term through our voting strength."