Nigeria’s education budget more than doubles under Tinubu in 2025

• Out-of-school children national emergency; calls for private sector co-investment
• States collectively increased budgets by 53% in 2025 – NGF chair

From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja

Vice President Kashim Shettima, on Tuesday, disclosed that Nigeria’s education budget has soared to ₦3.52 trillion for 2025 under President Bola Tinubu, more than doubling from ₦1.54 trillion in 2023—a move signalling a major drive to transform the sector.

Speaking at the 2025 Nigeria Education Forum in Abuja, Shettima—represented by his Special Adviser on General Duties, Aliyu Modibbo—declared the country’s out-of-school children crisis a “national emergency,” stressing the urgent need for government and private sector collaboration to address this challenge.

He emphasised, “Nothing threatens a civilisation more than an uneducated generation. Nations rise when the people, regardless of circumstance, are equipped with the knowledge to imagine a better future and the skills to build it.”

The forum, organised by the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, the Federal Ministry of Education, and the Committee of States’ Commissioners of Education, centred on “Pathways to Sustainable Education Financing: Developing a Synergy Between Town and Gown in Nigeria.”

Shettima noted that Nigeria has reached a pivotal stage where relying solely on government funding is unsustainable. He called for innovative, collaborative financing models involving private sector investors, philanthropists, alumni networks, and communities.

“The burden cannot rest on government alone. We must enlist private sector actors, industry leaders, alumni networks, philanthropists, and communities to co-invest in laboratories, research centres, vocational hubs, innovation clusters, and endowment funds,” he said.

Shettima detailed gains under President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope plan, highlighting that the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) budget increased from ₦320.3 billion in 2023 to ₦1.6 trillion in 2025, while the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) has distributed over ₦92 billion in grants to states and markedly expanded support for teacher development and local communities.

He added that the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND)—established under the 2024 Student Loans Act—has already disbursed ₦86.3 billion to over 450,000 students nationwide, marking a new era of accessible tertiary education.

Shettima emphasised, “The learning crisis cannot be solved without safe and well-equipped schools, from basic classrooms to technical laboratories.” He urged all levels of government to ensure timely funding, transparency, and robust engagement with communities, especially around infrastructure, security, and teacher welfare.

Concluding, Shettima said, “We are here today because we do not treat education as just a line item in the national budget. We treat it as the foundation of our national identity, the engine of our economic transformation, and the shield of our collective security.”

In his opening remarks, the NGF Chairman and Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq—represented by NGF Director-General Abdulateef Shittu—affirmed the critical role of states in education financing and reform.

He highlighted the urgent need for smarter financing and efficient execution to bridge persistent gaps between allocations and actual spending. “States collectively increased education budgets by 53% in 2025, from ₦2.4 trillion to ₦3.6 trillion, driven largely by a 69% rise in capital allocations. However, impact is constrained by execution—only 67% of funds were utilised in 2024, resulting in an ₦800 billion shortfall,” he noted.

With 43% of the population under 14 and 33% between 15 and 24, AbdulRazaq stressed that wise investment in education is imperative. While national education spending is 3% of GDP—below global benchmark—many states are closing the gap with projected increases for 2026.

The NGF DG outlined three focus areas: expanding access, improving learning and skills, and pursuing innovative financing, including partnerships with industry and development institutions. “Our strategy must involve greater domestic revenue mobilisation, new financing instruments such as pooled funds and education bonds, and partnerships with industry and philanthropy to deliver capital investments effectively.”

He called for closing the funding and execution gap, stressing that education reform is not optional but a core security and economic priority. “NEF 2025 marks a new era where financing matches ambition and execution matches commitment—where education powers Nigeria’s renewal,” he declared.

Minister of Education Tunji Alausa—represented by the Minister of State, Suwaiba Ahmad—described the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative (NESRI) as a “unified national blueprint jointly shaped” by all 36 states, the FCT, and stakeholders.

He listed broad NESRI reforms: Technical & Vocational Education and Training (TVET), STEMM, Out-of-School Children, Girl-Child Education, Education Quality Assurance, and Data/Digitisation (NEDI), vowing “no learner must be left behind.” He cited digitisation of 202,000 schools, reintegration of 35,000 out-of-school children, training of 1,400 Tsangaya teachers, and accreditation of over 1,600 TVET centres serving 250,000+ students.

Under AGILE, 577,863 girls in 18 states received scholarships, and 95,341 got life skills training. LUMINAH 2030 launched in 12 pilot states for girls’ reintegration. Other achievements included training 76,350 teachers to professional standards, 6,000 in AI for STEMM, and bursaries of ₦9.7 billion with NELFUND support for 580,000+ students.

The minister urged states to expand junior and senior secondary schools, adopt 12-year compulsory education, and strengthen teacher deployment. She called for alignment with NESRI, more teacher training, full NEDI integration, and private partnership for TVET/STEMM growth, highlighting the new Student Venture Capital Grant (S-VCG) for innovators.

“NESRI is not a federal programme; NESRI is Nigeria’s programme,” Ahmad said—echoing earlier calls to close funding gaps. She marked NEF 2025 as the launchpad for education’s role in national renewal under Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.