Ayodele Olawande, Minister of Youth. (1).webp
As Nigeria's "Japa" wave continues, Youth Minister Ayodele Olawande has dropped a controversial claim: foreign school fees are pricier than Nigeria's. Defending Tinubu's student loan program, he urged youths to "research, not follow trends", but does this argument hold water for Nigerians fleeing economic hardship?
  • Controversial Claim: Olawande asserted that foreign tuition exceeds Nigerian fees during a Channels TV panel, despite soaring local education costs.
  • Loan Pitch: He framed Tinubu’s NELFUND initiative as revolutionary, allowing students to "pay later" while promising future job opportunities.
  • Gen Z Critique: The minister chided youths for "following trends" without research, sparking backlash online.
  • Japa Context: His remarks come amid the mass emigration of professionals and students seeking affordable education abroad.
The minister’s comparison ignores Nigeria’s currency crisis and wage disparities, reducing complex migration drivers to a tuition fee debate. For Nigerian youths weighing broken systems against steep overseas costs, "research" alone won’t fix the education crisis.

The debate reflects wider tensions, the government touting reforms while citizens see dwindling opportunities at home.