Afe Babalola to FG: Capture private varsities in Students Loan Scheme

The founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, ABUAD, Aare Afe Babalola, yesterday, urged the Federal Government to capture private universities in the Students Loan Scheme.

Babalola said this during the opening ceremony of the International Hydrogen Summit 2024, themed ‘Catalysing Green Hydrogen Development in Nigeria – The Capacity and Partnership Imperatives.’

Speaking at the summit held at ABUAD, the elder statesman emphasized that students, whether enrolled in public or private universities, are entitled to benefit from the scheme as long as they are Nigerian citizens.

Babalola also expressed his displeasure over the Federal Government’s failure to provide private universities with funds for research projects that could benefit both the nation and humanity.

He said: “Recently, the Federal Government established the Students Loan Scheme. Yet, students from private universities are excluded. Are they not Nigerians? What steps have been taken to address this?

“TETFund was also established by the Federal Government and funding sourced from private organizations. However, private universities are excluded from accessing these funds. Why? What action has been taken on this issue?

“The government allocates research funds to public universities, yet I am not aware of any university, public or private, that has achieved more in research than ABUAD. Still, ABUAD has not received government support in this area.”

Highlighting the importance of the International Hydrogen Summit in advancing green hydrogen development, he said: “Ideas rule the world, but only those who implement their ideas are deemed successful. Ensure the resolutions from this summit are carried out.”

In his keynote address, the Minister of State for Environment, Iziaq Salako, affirmed that the Federal Government, in line with Nigeria’s Energy Transition Plan, ETP, recognizes the potential of green hydrogen.

He noted that using renewable energy sources like solar and wind, and green hydrogen offers Nigeria a significant opportunity to diversify its energy supply and lead the global decarbonization effort.