Tinubu’s ₦425 Million JAMB Bonanza in Southeast Sparks Reactions — Genuine Empowerment or Political Strategy?

Tinubu’s ₦425 Million JAMB Bonanza in Southeast Sparks Reactions — Genuine Empowerment or Political Strategy? President Bola Tinubu has rolled out what is being described as a major education intervention in Nigeria’s Southeast, launching a free JAMB registration initiative targeting 50,000 students across the region.Under the programme, each beneficiary will receive ₦8,500 — the exact amount needed to register for the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) examination. With 10,000 students selected from each of the five Southeast states, the total intervention amounts to a staggering ₦425 million in registration support.The exercise was officially launched in Enugu by Belusochukwu Enwerem, the National Coordinator of the Southeast Renewed Hope Agenda (SERHA), who presented the initiative as part of Tinubu’s broader promise to remove financial barriers blocking young Nigerians from accessing higher education.According to Enwerem, the programme is more than just free exam registration — he described it as a symbolic “movement of hope,” aimed at securing the future of thousands of young people who might otherwise miss the opportunity due to financial hardship.He emphasized that education remains the backbone of any serious society, adding that the initiative represents an investment in the next generation of doctors, lawyers, engineers, entrepreneurs, and leaders.

What This Means for Southeast Students: For many struggling families, ₦8,500 may seem small to those in power, but on the ground, it can be the difference between opportunity and stagnation. Thousands of students who would have abandoned their academic dreams due to lack of funds may now have a second chance.However, the announcement has also sparked conversations among Nigerians, with some praising the move as long overdue, while others question why such basic educational access still depends on political programmes rather than being universally affordable.

Bigger Questions Nigerians Are Asking: While the initiative offers immediate relief, it also raises critical questions:Why should students rely on special interventions just to register for national exams?Is this the beginning of broader education reform or a one-time gesture?Will similar support be extended to other regions facing equal or worse hardship?For now, thousands of Southeast students have something many others don’t — a fully funded shot at their future.And in a country where opportunity often comes at a cost many cannot afford, that alone is enough to ignite both hope — and debate.