Tinubu to youths: Dream big — I’ll give you wings to fly

President Bola Tinubu has urged Nigerian youths to dream big, innovate, and excel across various fields including science, technology, sports, and the arts.

In his Independence Day address, the president described young Nigerians as the country’s greatest asset and future.

He said his administration is committed to empowering youths through policies and funding designed to give them “wings to fly sky-high”.

“I have a message for our young people. You are the future and the greatest assets of this blessed country,” the president said.

“You must continue to dream big, innovate, and conquer more territories in your various fields of science, technology, sports, and the art and creative sector.

“Our administration, through policies and funding, will continue to give you wings to fly sky-high.”

He pointed to the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFund) as a key initiative for young people.

“We created NELFUND to support students with loans for their educational pursuits. Approximately 510,000 students across 36 states and the FCT have benefited from this initiative, covering 228 higher institutions. As of September 10, the total loan disbursed was N99.5 billion, while the upkeep allowance stood at N44.7 billion,” he said.

“Credicorp, another initiative of our administration, has granted 153,000 Nigerians N30 billion affordable loans for vehicles, solar energy, home upgrades, digital devices, and more.

“YouthCred, which I promised last June, is a reality, with tens of thousands of NYSC members now active beneficiaries of consumer credit for resettlement.”