The federal government has intensified efforts to reform Nigeria’s education sector, unveiling major progress and a financing strategy that includes plans to secure an additional $500 million from a proposed $11.5 billion global education fund.
The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, disclosed this at the Federal Ministry of Education and Global Partnership for Education CEO Breakfast Meeting held in Lagos, where private sector leaders and development partners gathered to align investments with the government’s reform agenda.
Alausa explained that the global replenishment initiative, expected to raise $11.5 billion to support foundational learning across 80 countries, presents a significant opportunity for Nigeria to strengthen its reforms. He stated that if successful, Nigeria could benefit from an additional $500 million to support foundational education.
He stressed that education remains the most strategic investment for national growth, noting that increased funding leads to higher productivity and improved earnings, especially for women.
Providing a progress report, the minister revealed that over 1.1 million out-of-school children had been returned to classrooms within the past year. Despite this milestone, he acknowledged that about 15 million children are still out of school, particularly in the North-east and North-west regions.
Alausa highlighted the challenge of learning poverty, noting that many children are unable to read age-appropriate texts by the age of 10. He also pointed out a significant drop in enrolment between primary and junior secondary education, largely due to inadequate infrastructure.
According to him, Nigeria has about 32 million children in primary schools but only around six million in junior secondary schools, showing a sharp decline. He attributed this gap to the disparity in the number of schools, with approximately 78,000 primary schools compared to about 9,000 junior secondary schools nationwide.
To address infrastructure deficits, the federal government has earmarked N100 billion for the construction of new student hostels across universities and polytechnics. Additional investments are also being directed toward rehabilitating engineering workshops, medical schools, and technical institutions to strengthen capacity in critical sectors.
The minister emphasized that the government is prioritizing STEM and technical education as part of efforts to prepare students for future demands.
On basic education financing, Alausa revealed that reforms have improved access to Universal Basic Education Commission matching grants. He noted that while about N240 billion previously remained unaccessed, over N140 billion has now been accessed and deployed by state governments for classrooms, furniture, and sanitation facilities.
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He added that a bill is currently before the National Assembly to increase UBEC funding from two percent to four percent.
Alausa further disclosed that a nationwide digital platform has been deployed to track students throughout their educational journey. He described the initiative as a major step toward data-driven planning, allowing authorities to monitor students, identify dropouts, and intervene accordingly.
In her remarks, the Minister of State for Education, Suwaiba Said Ahmad, emphasized the importance of collaboration with the private sector to achieve large-scale transformation in education. She noted that the meeting was designed to move beyond discussions to actionable partnerships.
She highlighted the role of development partners, stating that the Global Partnership for Education grant continues to support Nigeria’s reform priorities and expand access to quality education.
Both ministers reiterated that sustainable financing is key to the success of the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative, which aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Alausa also mentioned new fiscal measures, including a development levy aimed at boosting funding for education. He added that over one million students have benefited from government-backed education loans.
Despite the progress recorded, the ministers stressed that government efforts alone are not sufficient to meet the scale of investment required. They called for stronger private sector participation to drive innovation, expand infrastructure, and ensure the production of globally competitive graduates.
