By Godswill Amuneke
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has re-emphasised commitment to promoting the educational sector so that it becomes a world-class institution during the “Renewed Hope Students’ Engagement Summit, Rivers 2025”, organised by the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Student Engagement recently in Rivers State.
The Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Student Engagement, Hon. Comr. Asefon Sunday noted that the objective of the summit was to engage student leaders meaningfully, inform them about the far-reaching reforms of President Tinubu in education and youth development, and to hear directly from them. This, he stated, would help in building a more inclusive, impactful, and prosperous future for Nigerian students in line with the “Renewed Hope Agenda” of Mr. President.
The summit was attended by students from various tertiary institutions in the South-South region, representatives of MDAs, the Vice-Chancellor and Dean of Student Affairs of the University of Port Harcourt, and student leaders across the South-South geopolitical zone.
Hon. Comr. Asefon commended President Tinubu for his foresight and commitment to education as the foundation of national development. He highlighted that under the Renewed Hope Agenda, several bold and transformative initiatives have been rolled out. Among these is the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), which he noted has made education more accessible and affordable, significantly reducing the rate of student dropouts.
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He also reminded the students of the recent approval by President Tinubu for the allocation of funds to schools, colleges of education, polytechnics, and universities to establish innovation hubs and entrepreneurship centres, as well as provide core labs, electronic labs, and workstations.
The Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology (FMIST) was part of the event as the Hon. Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology (FMIST), Chief Uche Geoffrey Nnaji, was represented by the Raw Materials Research Development Council (RMRDC), Rivers State Coordinator, Mr. Minzor-Ezekiel K, recognising the ministry’s impact in promoting science education in Nigeria.
The Minister congratulated the organisers for their foresight in holding the summit at a time when the nation is grappling with myriad educational and socio-economic challenges. According to him, the forum will provide a much-needed platform for interaction among educationists, scholars, researchers, technologists, scientists, innovators, and other stakeholders to brainstorm, exchange ideas, proffer sustainable solutions, and chart a clear path toward national development and educational transformation.
He further enumerated some of the Ministry’s key programmes that align with the vision of the Renewed Hope Students’ Leaders Engagement, including: the 774 Young Nigerian Scientists Presidential Award (774 YONSPA); Junior Engineers, Technicians and Scientists (JETS); International Junior Science Olympiad (IJSO) and Talented Young Scientists of Nigeria (TYSON)
The Rivers State Coordinator, Mr. Minzor-Ezekiel. K also used the opportunity to highlight the efforts of the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), an agency under FMIST, which has recently established R&D Commercialisation Desks on raw materials value chains across several institutions in the country. This initiative is designed to connect with the educational sector by facilitating the commercialisation of excellent research findings by students, with potential for patenting and industrial application.
Mr. Minzor-Ezekiel reaffirmed that the Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology remains fully committed to nurturing the next generation of scientists, innovators, and leaders through its initiatives and collaborations. He emphasised that platforms like the Renewed Hope Students’ Leaders Engagement inspire, empower, and equip Nigerian youth with the skills, knowledge, and mindset required to drive the nation’s socio-economic and technological advancement.
The Managing Director of NELFUND, Mr. Akintunde Sawyerr, in his remarks, disclosed that the agency had received 745,000 applications, with over 400,000 students already benefiting from the scheme. He clarified that the programme currently applies only to federal and state-owned universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education, while private institutions are not eligible for now.
Also present were representatives of the Ministry of Youth Development and the Ministry of Education. Mr. Essien Emmanuel, representing the Minister of Youths, Ayodele Olawande, and Mr. David Atuwo, Special Adviser (Technical) to the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, respectively, outlined their ministries’ initiatives and urged students to seize the available opportunities for their personal and professional advancement.
