Former Minister of Communications, Dr. Adebayo Shittu, has called on the Federal Government to give greater priority to education and human-capital development, arguing that access to education should be treated as a fundamental right rather than a burden financed through student loans.
Shittu made the call on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, during an interview on Frontline, a current affairs programme on Eagle 102.5 FM, Ilese-Ijebu, Ogun State.
The former minister questioned the rationale for placing greater reliance on student loans when many Nigerian graduates remain unemployed years after completing their studies.
“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.
Shittu urged Nigerians to examine the provisions of the 1999 Constitution relating to education, saying government policies should create opportunities for children, particularly those from disadvantaged homes, 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.
He argued that access to education should be considered alongside employment, healthcare and other aspects of citizens’ welfare, stressing that government priorities should be measured by their impact on ordinary Nigerians.
The former minister also drew on the traditional communal approach to raising children, arguing that responsibility for educating young people should not rest entirely on 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 effective management of available resources. He recalled periods when governments invested in free education, healthcare and other social services, arguing that Nigeria possesses the resources and human capacity to expand access to education.
He cited Rwanda as an example of a country that, in his view, has placed significant emphasis on human development and urged Nigeria to give greater attention to developing its human capital.
Shittu also expressed concern about the economic difficulties confronting many Nigerians, saying he receives messages from students who struggle to meet basic needs, including food.
He maintained that government policies should take into account the realities facing young Nigerians and poor families, particularly those seeking education without stable sources of income.
According to him, stronger investment in education, employment and vocational training could help equip young people with skills needed to contribute to society and reduce future social pressures.
He therefore called for greater attention to education, job creation, vocational development and basic welfare, while questioning policies that, in his view, could increase the financial burden on young people pursuing higher education.
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