Atiku

Presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has pledged to review the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) scheme and forgive the debts of qualifying students if elected in 2027.

Atiku’s position was disclosed by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, who said the former vice president would prioritise reducing the cost of education and ensure students do not begin their working lives burdened by heavy education debts.

Shaibu criticised President Bola Tinubu’s administration for presenting NELFUND as evidence that education had become more affordable, arguing that students were being offered loans after facing increased education costs.

He described the approach as “witchcraft economics,” saying government should focus on making education affordable rather than increasing costs and providing loans to cover the difference.

Shaibu said an Atiku administration would review the existing student-loan system and introduce debt forgiveness for students who meet specified conditions.

He also said Atiku’s proposed policies to reduce energy and transportation costs would help students, workers and families by increasing their purchasing power.

Shaibu challenged the Presidency to provide evidence that reducing energy costs would undermine NELFUND, workers’ salaries or the minimum wage, insisting that education policy should enable families to afford schooling without excessive borrowing.