Tinubu's Aide Defends NELFUND Against Melaye's Criticism

Olusegun Dada, who serves as the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Social Media, responded to Dino Melaye, a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), regarding Melaye's criticism of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND). Melaye, in a viral video, labeled NELFUND as a "haven for corruption" and questioned the adequacy of the ₦20,000 monthly allowance provided to student beneficiaries, arguing that it was insufficient to cover annual tuition fees at government-owned tertiary institutions.

He stated, “Which government school takes ₦20,000 as annual school fees?” and challenged the government's assertion that the scheme was designed to assist with students' school fees. In defense, Dada took to his 𝕏 handle to label Melaye's comments as "peak ignorance," asserting that Melaye was misleading his audience by conflating the monthly allowance with the actual tuition fees students are required to pay each session.