Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, has reaffirmed that the education sector will play a pivotal role in achieving President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s target of building a $1 trillion Nigerian economy by 2030, saying the Federal Government’s ongoing reforms are focused on producing a globally competitive workforce to drive national development.

Speaking in Abuja over the weekend, the Minister said the Tinubu administration has placed education at the centre of its economic transformation agenda through sustained investments in human capital development, skills acquisition and reforms across the tertiary education sector.

According to a statement issued on Sunday by the Minister’s Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Mr. Ikharo Attah, Dr. Alausa said the administration is deliberately repositioning Nigeria’s education system to meet the country’s manpower needs while producing highly skilled professionals for Africa and the global labour market.

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“We want to be the manpower supplier of the world. We need to produce competent, skilled and educated young Nigerians who will drive our economy, contribute to Africa’s growth and compete successfully across the world,” the Minister said.

He noted that the Federal Government is transforming Nigeria’s youthful population into a demographic dividend by expanding access to quality education and equipping young people with the knowledge and skills required to thrive in an increasingly competitive global economy.

Dr. Alausa said one of the administration’s major achievements has been the expansion of admissions into health-related programmes to address the shortage of critical professionals.

He disclosed that annual enrolment into nursing schools has increased from about 20,000 before the current administration to approximately 50,000 students, while admissions into medicine, pharmacy and dentistry have also been significantly expanded.

The Minister expressed confidence that the reforms would eliminate shortages in the health sector within a few years as more qualified professionals graduate into the workforce.

“As the President advances his vision of building a one trillion-dollar economy, education will remain at the centre of that transformation,” he stated.

On the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), Dr. Alausa said the scheme was deliberately designed as a sustainable financing model capable of supporting generations of Nigerian students.

He explained that President Tinubu has consistently directed ministers and heads of government agencies to ensure that every major reform introduced by the administration is built to endure beyond the tenure of the current government.

“There is no value in introducing policies that cannot stand the test of time. Sustainability is central to this administration’s philosophy, and that principle guided the design of NELFUND,” he said.

The Minister also commended President Tinubu for restoring industrial harmony in Nigeria’s tertiary institutions through dialogue, mutual trust and respect, saying the administration has successfully resolved the prolonged disputes between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and other university-based unions.

According to him, President Tinubu demonstrated sincerity by approving the payment of 50 per cent of the withheld salaries inherited from previous administrations within months of assuming office, a move that rebuilt confidence between government and academic unions.

He added that the administration also approved a salary increase of nearly 40 per cent for workers in tertiary institutions, significantly improving staff welfare while maintaining fiscal discipline.

Dr. Alausa said the return of industrial peace is already yielding positive outcomes, citing the latest Times Higher Education World University Rankings, which showed that the number of Nigerian universities recognised globally has increased from 21 to 24.

He noted that public universities now occupy the top positions nationally, describing the development as evidence that the Federal Government’s reforms are strengthening the quality and global competitiveness of Nigeria’s higher education system.

The Minister reaffirmed the commitment of the Federal Ministry of Education to implementing policies that expand access to quality education, strengthen human capital development and prepare Nigerian youths to compete successfully in the global economy.

He stressed that under President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, education will remain the foundation for sustainable economic growth, national development and shared prosperity.