Femi Gbajabiamila, the Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, yesterday emphasised the importance of education for national development.

Speaking at the 2026 International Day for Education, he thanked the House of Representatives Speaker Tajudeen Abbas for convening the conference, describing it as a firm commitment to national development through education. “Education is the bridge between potential and productivity; between aspiration and achievement,” he said.

Gbajabiamila recalled that during his tenure as Speaker of the 9th House, he sponsored the Students’ Loans Bill to ensure that no capable Nigerian student would be denied tertiary education due to financial hardship.

He noted that access to education should be determined by merit and potential, not privilege. He said within the first three months of his government, President Tinubu assented to the bill, paving the way for the establishment of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund.

He described the move as a clear demonstration that education is central to the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda. According to him, the House has shown that parliament is not merely a lawmaking institution but a strategic partner in shaping Nigeria’s future.