By Ameh Sunday Enyo-ojo
Former Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu, has urged the Federal Government to prioritise education and human-capital development, arguing that access to education should be treated as a fundamental right rather than an obligation to be financed through student loans.
Shittu spoke on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, during an interview with Newsmen.
The former minister questioned the rationale behind relying on loans to support students when many Nigerian graduates are still struggling to secure employment years after leaving university.
“Today, we have in this country graduates who graduated ten years ago and are still looking for jobs. They don’t have jobs and they are talking about giving them loans. I don’t believe in loans. I believe in fundamental rights,” he said.
Shittu urged Nigerians to examine the provisions of the 1999 Constitution relating to education, arguing that government has a responsibility to promote access to education and create an environment where citizens can develop their potential.
“I challenge everyone to go and look at the education objectives in the Constitution of Nigeria, the 1999 Constitution,” he said.
The former minister also argued that educating children should be viewed as a collective responsibility, reflecting traditional community values where members contribute to raising and supporting young people.
“In our local community, a child born into a community is the responsibility of the entire community to train, to educate and to provide for,” Shittu said.
He said the issue ultimately comes down to government priorities and the management of available resources, noting that previous administrations had invested in education, healthcare and other social services.
Shittu further argued that Nigeria has the resources and expertise required to improve access to education, citing Rwanda as an example of a country that has invested in human development.
He also expressed concern over the economic difficulties faced by Nigerians, saying he receives messages from students who struggle to meet basic needs, including feeding.
The former minister maintained that government policies should be measured by their impact on ordinary Nigerians, particularly poor families and their children.
He therefore called for greater investment in education, employment, vocational training and basic welfare, arguing that improving access to education would help equip young Nigerians with the knowledge and skills needed to contribute meaningfully to society.
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