The National Association of University Students has unveiled a reform agenda aimed at repositioning student leadership in Nigeria, while demanding urgent government action on student welfare, campus insecurity, and transparency in education financing.

National President, Comrade Meshach Anthony Nwankwo, disclosed this at his first press conference, stating that his administration would usher in a new era of responsible student leadership anchored on integrity, accountability, and results driven advocacy.

He maintained that NAUS would not be reduced to a platform for press statements or confrontation, but would pursue practical solutions to challenges facing Nigerian university students. Nwankwo reaffirmed that the association would remain an independent pressure group, neither aligned to partisan politics nor government control.

"The National Association of University Students shall remain an independent and responsible pressure group. We shall neither become an appendage of government nor an instrument of partisan politics. Our loyalty is to Nigerian students, to quality education and to the national interest," he said.

"Where government policies improve the welfare of students, we shall openly acknowledge and commend such efforts. Where there are shortcomings, we shall speak truthfully, responsibly, and constructively while proposing workable solutions," he added.

He commended the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for reforms credited with stabilising the academic calendar and reducing industrial actions involving the Academic Staff Union of Universities. Nwankwo also noted that sustained dialogue had restored confidence in public universities.

"The continued efforts to honour agreements reached with relevant stakeholders within the education sector in the last three years have guaranteed uninterrupted academic calendars and have restored confidence in our universities," he stated.

The NAUS president further acknowledged reforms under the Federal Ministry of Education and praised Minister Dr Tunji Alausa for what he termed a positive trajectory in the higher education sector, urging sustained investment in infrastructure, research, and innovation.

On student financing, NAUS raised concerns over implementation gaps in the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, noting delays and accessibility challenges affecting beneficiaries despite recognising it as a step forward. The association warned university managements against irregularities and announced plans to establish a monitoring directorate to engage NELFUND leadership and relevant stakeholders.

"We hereby sound a stern warning to university managements who may be involved in constituting certain irregularities in the entire process," Nwankwo warned, adding that the directorate would ensure a more transparent and student friendly process.

NAUS also commended developments at the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, stressing the importance of visible infrastructure such as lecture halls and laboratories, while noting that monitoring teams would be deployed to prevent abandoned projects. The association additionally described recurring cases of campus kidnapping and violent attacks as unacceptable, urging federal and state governments to prioritise student safety.