Former Minister of Communications, Dr. Adebayo Shittu, has urged the Federal Government to prioritise education and human-capital development, arguing that education should be treated as a fundamental right rather than a burden financed through student loans.
Speaking on Tuesday, September 29, 2026 during an interview on Frontline, a current affairs programme on Eagle 102.5 FM, Ilese-Ijebu, Ogun State, Shittu said government policies should focus on creating opportunities for children from poor homes, stressing that access to education must be considered alongside employment, healthcare and the general welfare of citizens.
The former minister questioned the rationale behind relying on loans to support students at a time when many Nigerian graduates are 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.
He 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 conditions that enable citizens to 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 the responsibility for educating children should reflect the communal values traditionally associated with raising young people, rather than being left entirely to individual families.
“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,” he said.
Shittu said the issue was ultimately about government priorities and the management of available resources, noting that previous governments had invested in free education, healthcare and other social services.
He argued that Nigeria has the resources and expertise to improve access to education, citing Rwanda as an example of a country that has made significant investments in human development.
Shittu also expressed concern over the level of economic hardship among Nigerians, saying he receives messages from students who struggle to afford basic needs, including food.
He maintained that government policies should be measured by their impact on ordinary Nigerians, particularly poor families and their children, and called for stronger implementation of constitutional provisions on education.
The former minister further argued that investing in education would help reduce future social problems by ensuring that young Nigerians are equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to contribute meaningfully to society.
Shittu’s position also reflects his long-standing emphasis on youth development, skills acquisition and employment opportunities.
In an earlier statement, he argued that developing the talents and ideas of Nigerian youths could contribute significantly to national development, while also expressing concern about unemployment among young Nigerians.
He had also previously highlighted the importance of information and communication technology in creating opportunities for young people, pointing to the establishment of ICT hubs as part of efforts to equip youths with relevant skills and improve their chances of participating in the economy.
His latest comments therefore place education within a border discussion about human capital development, employment and the ability of young Nigerians to become economically productive.
He therefore called on the government to give greater attention to education, employment, vocational training and basic welfare, rather than placing greater financial burdens on young Nigerians seeking to acquire education.
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