The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has commended the decision of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) to extend its student loan scheme to vocational and technical training institutions, describing the move as a “national game-changer”.
In a statement on Monday by the spokesperson, Oluseye Oladejo, the party said the expansion reflects President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to bridging long-standing gaps in the country’s education and skills development sectors.
According to the Lagos APC, the initiative marks a major boost for millions of young Nigerians seeking skills in areas such as engineering trades, digital technology, construction, creative industries, agriculture, and manufacturing.
Oladejo said the system had for decades prioritised certificates over competence, leaving many young people without access to critical training opportunities.
The Lagos APC urged young people in the state to take full advantage of the expanded loan scheme, saying it provides a pathway to globally competitive skills and long-term economic empowerment.
The APC added that the development would deepen job creation, stimulate innovation, strengthen the workforce, and reduce unemployment, especially in Lagos, which it described as the nation’s hub for technology, creativity, and enterprise.
He said: “For decades, millions of young Nigerians whose future depended on skills acquisition – from engineering trades, digital technology, construction, creative industries, agriculture, and manufacturing – were abandoned by a system that worshipped certificates but ignored competence. The Renewed Hope Agenda has now rewritten the story. With this expansion, no Nigerian youth will be denied opportunity because of financial barriers. Skill is finally taking its rightful place beside formal academics.
“NELFUND’s decision is a direct investment in the productive energy of our youth, the heartbeat of Lagos, and the engine of Nigeria’s future. It will deepen job creation, strengthen innovation, reduce unemployment, and drastically expand the nation’s skilled workforce. This is how nations are built – not through press conferences of bitterness and recycled talking points from defeated political actors.
“While some political parties are busy organising conventions that resemble final funeral rites, the APC-led administration is methodically building the future – brick by brick, reform by reform, policy by policy. This latest initiative is yet another reminder that leadership is not noise; leadership is vision backed by action.”
The statement also commended NELFUND’s management for what it called a forward-looking policy that “empowers the many, not the privileged few”, adding that the ruling party remains focused on governance while the opposition “continues to struggle for relevance”.
