Nigeria: Tinubu administration revives Awolowo governance model

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration is working to revive a governance model focused on free education and healthcare, inspired by the historical ‘4-Cardinal Programme’ of Chief Obafemi Awolowo.

At the federal level, the National Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has reportedly enabled approximately 1.5 million Nigerian students to access tertiary education without the need for collateral. Additionally, the federal government is focusing on rejuvenating primary healthcare centers, improving drug supply chains, and strengthening health insurance systems.

The strategy suggests that the increased allocations resulting from subsidy removal should empower state and local governments to take responsibility for free, quality secondary education and primary healthcare services at the ward level.