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Tinubu Announces Commencement Date For Students Loan

Published

2 years ago

June 14, 2023

Editor

The Federal Government, Wednesday, said it had begun putting all necessary measures in place to ensure students loan begin between September and October 2023.

The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Andrew David Adejo, who revealed this while speaking to newsmen in Abuja, said already, President Bola Tinubu has approved a committee made up of ministries and agencies to see to the realization of the Students Loan Bill he recently assented to

Recall that the Tinubu had last week, signed into law the Student Loan Bill in fulfilment of a promise he made during his campaign.

The Students Loan Bill, sponsored by the Speaker of the 9th House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, provides for interest-free loans to indigent Nigerian students.

The law is to provide easy access to higher education for indigent Nigerians through interest-free loans from the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, the Permanent Secretary said.

Adejo said “The bill is to make sure that every Nigerian has access to higher education through what we called the Higher Education Nigerian Bank.

“Learning from past mistakes, the bank is not going to be the type that will sit down and be collecting application loans, it will also perform normal banking functions and make sure loans are given because we had cases of loan recovery in the past.

“The Act as it is tells us the process, but as I speak with you today, the president has approved the committee made up of the Ministries and agencies and their meeting will be coming up 20th of June.

“The president has also directed that by September to October of this 2023/2024 academic session, he wants to see recipients of these loans. So it is a very serious march for us so between now and then we have to phantom the process for people to get the loan,” he added.

The Permanent Secretary further said the government will create a specialised bank for the operation of the loans, noting that there will be a tracking system for the efficient running of the loans scheme.

He also said it will cover both students in private and public schools, adding that the government will create a new bank for it, Vanguard reports.

“We are not going to use existing banks. We are going to create a new bank that will address this because we can’t use an existing bank.

“We don’t want to make it that only people who want to go to public schools will benefit from, private schools are paying tuition so you have to give them the opportunity.

“The loan is for you to get an education programme and get employed then you start paying back. The loan recovery does not start until you get employed.

While commending President Tinubu as a job creator he said, “Our current president today is a job creator from his experience from the private sector and he has given us policy direction and job creation is one of the things he is going to do, even though you cannot create a job for everybody.”

According to him, as of June 12, only three people have seen the Act, which is the president, the current Chief of Staff and himself.

“What you have seen is the bill. The president has assented to the bill, let us wait to see the Act and you get the Act when it is transmitted to the Ministry of Justice to produce a gazette,” he said.

News

Jonathan To Meet Tinubu Over Nnamdi Kanu’s Detention — Sowore

Published

3 hours ago

October 10, 2025

Editor

Human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, said former President Goodluck Jonathan has agreed to engage President Bola Tinubu on the continued detention of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu.

Sowore disclosed this on Friday via his X handle after meeting with Jonathan in Abuja.

According to him, their discussion centred on the “urgent and compelling need” to address Kanu’s case “decisively and justly.”

Sowore said, “Earlier today in Abuja, I met with former President @GEJonathan (Goodluck Jonathan) to discuss the continued incarceration of Mazi @NnamdiKanu

“President Jonathan agreed that there is an urgent and compelling need to address this matter decisively and justly. I thank him sincerely for recognising the importance of resolving Kanu’s case in the interest of peace, fairness, and national healing.

“Particularly assuring was that he promised to meet @officialabat (President Bola Tinubu) to discuss this issue as soon as possible.”

He noted that with this development, Jonathan joins a growing list of Nigerians who have called for justice in Nnamdi Kanu’s case.

“A list that already includes ex-Vice President @atiku, Femi Falana SAN, Senator @ShehuSani, and many others across political and regional divides,” Sowore said.

The activist reiterated his call for Kanu’s release, saying the IPOB leader “remains in detention today because he took up the just cause of confronting the long-standing issue of marginalisation in Nigeria.”

He also urged political, cultural, and religious leaders, including Peter Obi, Chukwuma Soludo, Alex Otti, Francis Nwifuru, Peter Mbah, Hope Uzodinma, Oby Ezekwesili, and Ohanaeze Ndigbo’s John Mbata, to join the campaign for Kanu’s release.

Kanu has been in detention since 2021 after being re-arrested abroad and returned to Nigeria to face trial on charges bordering on terrorism and treasonable felony.

Several court orders granting him bail or ordering his release have yet to be implemented.

News

Yiaga Africa, Kukah Centre, Others Demand Live Broadcast Of INEC Chair Screening

Published

3 hours ago

October 10, 2025

Editor

Civil society organisations (CSOs) in Nigeria have appealed to the Senate to ensure that the screening of Professor Joash Amupitan (SAN) for the position of Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is broadcast live to the public.

According to the groups, a live broadcast of the screening would promote transparency, accountability, and public confidence in the process of appointing the head of the nation’s electoral body.

In a statement made available to The Guardian on Friday, they emphasised that, given the crucial role INEC plays in safeguarding Nigeria’s democracy, citizens have a right to witness and assess the integrity, competence, and independence of the nominee being considered for such a sensitive position.

The CSOs include Yiaga Africa, Women Rights Advancement Protection Alternative (WRAPA), International Press Centre, The Kukah Centre, Centre for Media and Society, TAF Africa, African Centre for Leadership, Strategy & Development (Centre LSD), Nigeria Women Trust Fund, Accountability Lab Nigeria, and YERP Naija Campaign.

According to the organisations, live coverage would help dispel any suspicion of bias or backroom dealings, while allowing Nigerians to engage more meaningfully in discussions about electoral reforms and leadership within the electoral body.

“We call on the Senate to ensure that its confirmation hearings are transparent, televised, and inclusive of citizen and civil society input through memoranda, petitions, and participation in the confirmation hearings.

“The Senate should undertake a rigorous examination of his competence, public records, vision for electoral reform, INEC’s institutional strengthening, as well as his capacity to resist political interference and uphold electoral integrity.

“The Senate should also interrogate the nominee’s plans to address systemic challenges, including voter registration, result transmission, and enforcement of INEC’s regulations and guidelines.

“Nigerians expect the Senate confirmation process to be open to citizens’ participation in line with the Framework for Citizens’ Engagement in the INEC Appointment Process previously submitted to the Senate by the undersigned civil society organisations. This includes full disclosure of the nominee’s credentials, public service history, and capacity to manage elections without political interference,” the statement reads.

While acknowledging Professor Amupitan’s academic and professional accomplishments, they declared that they have no objection to his nomination, even as they tasked him to “demonstrate moral courage and resistance to political interference,” if confirmed by the Senate.
(GUARDIAN)

News

Recruitment: NCS sets Date For Final Exam

Published

3 hours ago

October 10, 2025

Editor

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has announced that the final computer-based examination for all successful Superintendent Cadre applicants will hold on Tuesday, 14 October, across the six geopolitical zones of the country.

According to a statement posted on the NCS recruitment update portal, the examination will be conducted simultaneously in designated states and centres based on candidates’ states of origin.

The service advised shortlisted applicants to log in with their National Identification Number (NIN) at https://updates.customs.gov.ng](https://updates.customs.gov.ng) to access their examination details, including assigned centres. Candidates are required to print their coloured examination slips for presentation at the venue.

The designated centres for the examination include Lagos and Osun (South West), Enugu and Abia (South East), Rivers and Edo (South South), Abuja and Kwara (North Central), Bauchi and Adamawa (North East), and Kaduna and Sokoto (North West).

NCS warned that failure to report at assigned centres could result in disqualification. Further details and specific instructions will be communicated through the recruitment update portal.

The agency stressed that the stage is strictly for successful applicants under the Superintendent Cadre category.