Nigeria: I Drove Taxi to Fund My Education in U.S. - Tinubu

What the report says

President Bola Tinubu said in a post on X that he once drove a taxi and worked other jobs to help pay for his education in the United States. The remarks, published by Vanguard and distributed by AllAfrica, were made on Wednesday, 4 November 2026, and framed his personal story as the basis for his support for wider educational access in Nigeria.

Tinubu said he delayed the start of school for several months to save money before moving to Chicago, where he worked while studying. He said that experience made him understand the strain of tuition, housing and other living costs for students, and that every Nigerian child should have a fair chance regardless of family income or background.

In the same message, the president pointed to ongoing education reforms under his administration. He cited the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, technical and vocational education efforts, rehabilitation of technical colleges, and steps he said were improving university stability. He also referenced funding for medical schools, higher enrollment in nursing and medical programmes, and efforts to bring more out-of-school children back into learning.

The comments fit into a broader government push to present education as a central part of economic and social policy. As reported by Vanguard, Tinubu urged Nigerians to use an online education-sector platform to track programmes and share feedback on local challenges.