Students in Kano have commended President Bola Tinubu for introducing the Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) and deploying compressed natural gas-powered buses to campuses.

They made the commendation in separate interviews with journalists in Kano, where they spoke on positive developments in the education sector as activities commenced to celebrate the nation’s 66th anniversary of independence.

The students who spoke were from Bayero University, Yusuf Maitama Sule University, Sa’adatu Rimi University of Education, and Northwest University.

The president of the SUG, BUK, Abdulmudallib Kalli, said the NELFUND scheme had granted thousands of indigent students unhindered access to higher education.

He said that the CNG buses had significantly reduced daily transportation costs, especially as the country is bedevilled with economic challenges.

Mr Kalli said the interventions were practical manifestations of the administration’s economic reforms aimed at cushioning the effect of fuel subsidy removal and prioritising youth development.

A 300-level student from BUK, Aminu Sani, said the tuition loan had eliminated the constant fear of being forced out of school due to unpaid fees.

Similarly, Fatima Bello, an undergraduate at YUMSUK, noted that the loan had restored hope to many students who nearly abandoned their academic pursuits.

Maryam Tahir, a student of SRUOE, described NELFUND as a timely rescue for undergraduates facing harsh economic realities.

On campus transportation, a 200-level student from BUK, Umar Sani, said the deployment of the buses under the Presidential Initiative on CNG and Electric Vehicles (PI-CNG/EV) had eased commuting for thousands of students.

“Transportation was becoming a major challenge for most of us due to high fares, but reducing these costs improves our mobility and overall access to education,” Mr Sani said.

According to the students, they previously paid N200 per trip within the campus and its environs, but the fare has now dropped to N100 following the introduction of the CNG buses.

They described the development as a huge relief and thanked the Federal Government for the gesture.

The students observed that beyond providing immediate financial relief, the CNG rollout promotes cleaner, cheaper, and more sustainable energy alternatives within academic corridors.

While commending the federal government, the students collectively urged NELFUND management to address occasional delays in disbursing monthly upkeep stipends.

They explained that prompt release of the allowances was vital to sustaining daily campus upkeep and procurement of academic materials. 

(NAN)