Tinubu Graduated With First-Class Degree in Accounting, Education Minister Alausa Claims

The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, has reignited debate over President Bola Tinubu’s academic qualificationsafter claiming that the Nigerian leader graduated with a first-class degree in accounting from Chicago State University in the United States.

Alausa made the claim during an interview on Channels Television on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, while defending Tinubu’s educational background.

The minister said he was familiar with Chicago State University, having lived in the city for nearly 30 years. He also claimed to have met several people who studied alongside the President at the institution.

When asked whether Tinubu graduated with a first-class degree in accounting, Alausa responded: “In accounting, of course.”

He went on to describe the President as a genius, dismissing questions about his intellectual ability and praising his performance in office.

Alausa also defended Tinubu’s economic policies, arguing that the administration had moved Nigeria away from the difficult economic conditions it inherited.

“Look at how he’s transformed a moribund country three years ago to a country that is growing,” the minister said.

However, the interviewer challenged the minister’s assessment by drawing attention to persistent poverty and the large number of children who remain out of school across the country.

Tinubu’s academic qualifications have been a subject of public controversy, particularly during the legal proceedings that followed the 2023 presidential election.

Chicago State University confirmed that Tinubu attended the institution and graduated in 1979, with accounting as his major. However, the university’s records presented during the legal proceedings did not establish that he graduated with a first-class classification.

The distinction is important because the university’s confirmation of his degree and the minister’s claim about the classification are two separate matters.

Alausa’s latest statement has therefore raised fresh questions about the basis for describing Tinubu’s degree as a first-class qualification, especially given the international grading differences between Nigerian and American universities.

The controversy is likely to attract further attention as political parties and candidates prepare for the 2027 general elections, when educational qualifications are expected to remain part of public scrutiny of those seeking political office.