Minister of State for Education Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad has affirmed that President Bola Tinubu’s administration is already recording tangible progress in its drive to revitalize public universities across Nigeria.

Speaking on Saturday at the combined 50th anniversary and 42nd convocation ceremony of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto (UDUS), where she represented the president, Ahmad said the government’s commitment to higher education reform was beginning to show positive impact.

“President Bola Tinubu’s administration remains committed to revitalizing our public universities, and the results of this effort are already becoming evident,” she declared.

She highlighted the establishment of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) as a major intervention designed to ease the financial burdens of students.

“As part of efforts to ensure more students achieve their educational dreams, President Tinubu introduced NELFUND to enable young Nigerians to pursue their studies without financial constraints,” Ahmad explained.

The minister also revealed that the federal government had earmarked ₦120 billion for vocational education to further expand access to quality learning opportunities nationwide.

Sokoto State Governor, Ahmad Aliyu, pledged stronger collaboration with UDUS in the areas of innovation, skills development, and educational reform.

“My administration has already settled ₦1.845 billion in accumulated tuition fees for Sokoto medical students studying both within and outside the country,” Aliyu said.

The governor also announced a special gesture to honor academic excellence at the institution. “As a reward for hard work, we are offering a Hajj seat to the best graduating student, Abdullahi Sherif, who graduated from the Department of Microbiology with a 4.92 CGPA,” he declared.

Earlier in his address, UDUS Vice Chancellor Prof. Bashir Garba praised the Federal Government’s education reforms, noting that they were already strengthening academic standards. “Improved funding frameworks and progressive policies under this administration are enhancing academic quality and institutional autonomy,” he said.

The convocation ceremony drew dignitaries, including representatives of President Tinubu, the Sultan of Sokoto, the Oba of Lagos and Chancellor of the University, members of the National Assembly, diplomats, traditional rulers, senior academics, and alumni.

Three distinguished personalities were also honoured: former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Faruku Yahaya (retd), who received a Doctor of Science degree; Islamic scholar, Sheikh Aminu Durawa, who was awarded a Doctor of Letters; and Prof. Dejo Abdulrahman, who was conferred the title of Emeritus Professor for his outstanding contributions to the university