Tinubu Reaffirms Commitment to Tech-driven Education as YABATECH Graduates 8,654

Funmi Ogundare

As Yaba College of Technology graduated 8,654 students from the 2023/2024 academic session,  President Bola Tinubu has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to expanding access to quality, technology-driven education. He announced that the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has disbursed over ₦50 billion to 624,535 students across 303 tertiary institutions as of October 2025.

Speaking at the 37th convocation ceremony of the college recently, the president, who was represented by the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, described the scheme, an interest-free initiative, as a transformative tool for breaking financial barriers and ensuring equity for students, especially those from low-income families.

He also emphasised the introduction of the Students’ Venture Grant, designed to support innovative business ideas among undergraduates through a rigorous assessment process involving industry and academic experts.

He pointed out that the reforms were building “an education system that empowers young Nigerians with the skills, opportunities, and support they need to compete, innovate, and thrive in a dynamic global economy”.

Tinubu confirmed the federal government’s approval of the upgrade of the college to the Yaba Technical and Vocational University.

“The upgrade aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda and is aimed at strengthening technical and vocational education by integrating hands-on training with advanced research to boost innovation, economic growth and national development,” said Tinubu.

He added that the transition committee has submitted its report, and its recommendations are currently under consideration. He also underscored his administration’s priority for science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medical sciences (STEMM), alongside technical and vocational education. These fields, he said, remained central to Nigeria’s development agenda and essential for preparing young people for the demands of the 21st-century economy.

Addressing the graduating class, Tinubu urged them to embrace innovation, integrity and creativity as they transition into a workforce shaped by ongoing economic reforms, renewed investor confidence and improving foreign exchange stability.

“You are among the first generation of graduates who will directly experience the gains of these reforms, take your place as builders of a new Nigeria,” stated the president.

He encouraged them to apply the knowledge gained in engineering, enterprise development, creative design, management and innovation not only to secure employment, but to become job creators and problem solvers.

The president also appealed to industry leaders and private investors to partner with the government in supporting research, scholarships, endowments, and enterprise development. Nation-building, he stated, is a sacred duty we all share.

The Rector, Dr Ibraheem Abdul, stated that for the first time in the institution’s history, graduates collected their certificates on convocation day, a reform he described as a symbol of improved efficiency.

“You are leaving here not as job-seekers but as job-creators,” he told the graduands. As you leave this arena, go with the assurance that this institution will continue to illuminate the path of technical education in Africa and beyond,” he said.

He congratulated the graduands, parents and the entire YABATECH community for their roles in the institution’s progress.

A breakdown of the graduands’ statistics showed  that 291 finished with distinction; 2,434 had upper credit; 4,403 had lower credit; and 1,526 had pass at the National Diploma, Higher National Diploma and Certificate levels.