Federal and state governments are increasing budgetary and intervention agencies allocations to education. But weak implementation of the allocations, lack of harmonised policies, failure to meet international benchmarks and counterpart funding commitments are not helping the sector. Stakeholders have decried these persistent challenges, calling for deliberate and harmonised structured reforms, Assistant Editor Bola Olajuwon reports
Surge in budgetary allocations for education
Nigeria’s education crisis is often linked by stakeholders as stemming from low government investment in the sector, leading to dilapidated infrastructure, teacher shortages, frequent university lecturers’ strikes, and massive brain drain. But the federal budget allocations for education have consistently increased in Naira value in the last six years and so also special interventions from agencies created to control standards in tertiary, secondary and basic education. The nominal allocation surged recently, particularly under the President Bola Tinubu administration.
In the last six years, it was N671.07 billion in 2020 (6.7% of total budget). In 2021, it was N742.5 billion (5.68% of total budget); 2022 (N923.7 billion, 7.9% of total budget); and 2023 N1.54 trillion, approx. 8.2% of total budget).
Also in 2024, it was N2.18 trillion (approximately 7.9% of total budget) and in 2025, the sector got N3.52 trillion (approximately 7.08% to 7.3% of total budget).
The 36 state governments and the Federal Captal Territory (FCT) also significantly increased education spending over the last few years, rising from about N1 trillion (12%) in 2022 to N2.4 trillion in 2024, and N3.6 trillion in 2025, a 53% jump, showing strong commitment.
In 2025, four states have some of the highest allocations: Enugu allocated N320.61 billion, Lagos (N223.27bn), Kaduna (N206.6bn), and Kano (N199.93bn).
Despite the upward budgetary allocations, the sector continues to fall significantly short of global and national benchmarks. The allocations were far below the UNESCO recommended benchmark of 15–20% and Nigeria’s own National Policy on Education target of 26%.
Also, about 70% of the education budget typically goes to recurrent expenditures, such as salaries and overheads, leaving less than 30% for critical infrastructure and capital projects.
While the federal allocation remains below 10%, several states have met or exceeded global benchmarks in 2025. The states include Enugu (32.99%), Kano (31%), and Kaduna (26.14%).
TETFund’s N700 billion for tertiary institutions
Aside yearly budgetary allocations, the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has specific budget for federal and state tertiary institutions. President Bola Tinubu approved over N700 billion for TETFund beneficiary institutions in 2025. Each public university receives N2.86 billion, each polytechnic receives N1.99 billion, and each college of education receives N2.18 billion.
Some of TETFund programmes are academic training and mobility programme with “Diaspora Outreach/Exchange”, staff welfare support fund, introduction of electric tricycles for campus transport, establishment of 12 new innovation hubs for entrepreneurship in polytechnics and colleges, expansion of medical education, energy infrastructure development, research & innovation support, agricultural lab development, and technical/vocational education.
TETFund is pivotal in transforming Nigeria’s education system by funding modern infrastructure, promoting research and innovation, and upskilling students and academics. The agency is moving toward greater digitalisation and stronger public‑private partnerships to ensure sustainability and international competitiveness for Nigerian higher‑education institutions.
NELFUND disburses over N150 billion to about 788,000 students
The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) had also cushioned the cost of education on students with loans. Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, disclosed that the Federal Government has disbursed more than N150 billion to about 788,000 students under the scheme.
It was established under the Students Loans (Access to Higher Education) Act 2023 and amended in 2024 to make the process more inclusive and flexible.
It ensures that no qualified Nigerian student is denied higher education due to financial constraints, as the loans cover tuition and other academic expenses.
UBEC, NSSEC, NUC, NBTE interventions
The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) is the agency responsible for coordinating and implementing the Universal Basic Education (UBE) programme.
Also, the National Senior Secondary Education Commission (NSSEC) is responsible for superintending senior secondary schools standards in the country. They also have interventions they implement in the sector.
Established by the UBE Act of 2004, UBEC’s primary mandate is to provide assistance to State and Local Governments for uniform, qualitative, and functional basic education throughout Nigeria. Its key functions include: Policy & Standards: Formulating policy guidelines and prescribing minimum standards for basic education, which includes Early Child Care Development (ECCDE), 6 years of primary school, and junior secondary education.
For universities, the National Universities Commission (NUC) is regulatory body for university education in Nigeria. Established in 1962, it operates as a parastatal under the Federal Ministry of Education to ensure quality assurance, maintain academic standards, and oversee the development of the Nigerian University System (NUS).
The National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) is the Nigerian regulatory body under the Federal Ministry of Education responsible for overseeing and accrediting Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions. Founded in 1977, it is headquartered in Kaduna and led by Executive Secretary Prof. Idris M. Bugaje.
Funding Management: Receiving block grants from the Federal Government and allocating them to states via Matching Grants.
Monitoring & Quality Assurance: Overseeing programme implementation across 36 states and the FCT through its 6 zonal offices and state-level counterparts.
The NSSEC is vested with the responsibilities of prescribing minimum standards for secondary education throughout Nigeria; managing the National Secondary Education Fund; and other related purposes.
States failure to meet counterpart funding
Although states are increasing allocations, weak implementation of the budgetary allocations and failure to meet international standards and lack of commitments to meet counterpart funding has not helped the sector.
In 2024, 27 states failed to provide the required counterpart funding to access over N45.73 billion of federal funds meant for basic education through Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC).
The affected states did not pay their counterpart contributions, preventing the release of their allocations and delaying education projects.
The consequences are that projects are delayed. Federal funds remain unused, affecting school infrastructure and programmes. Inadequate financing undermines education quality and access for children.
The Federal Government and UBEC have urged these states to fulfill their financial commitments to unlock the funds and improve basic education across the country.
How reforms are impacting Federal Ministry of Education positively, by Alausa
Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, outlined a comprehensive set of reforms being implemented to overhaul the nation’s education system, expand access, and raise quality standards across all levels of learning.
Alausa said the initiatives form part of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which seeks to align Nigeria’s education sector with global standards and equip young citizens for a technology-driven economy.
The minister said Nigeria’s digitalisation initiatives in schools, driven by the Federal Government and UBEC, focus on transforming learning with smart boards, free tablets/laptops, online classes (like “Inspire Lives”), teacher training (EdTech Strategy), and digital content, aiming to boost digital literacy, bridge the access gap, and prepare students for the digital economy, with major rollouts happening in 2025.
Key projects include the National Learning Passport (NLP), connectivity drives (GenU 9JA), and integrating AI/robotics, all under the “Renewed Hope Agenda”.
Alausa noted that History has been restored as a compulsory subject in the basic education curriculum to promote national identity, unity, and civic responsibility.
“As of today, History is fully back as a core subject in schools,” he said.
On infrastructure, the minister stated that the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) is rehabilitating schools nationwide through the School-Based Management Committee Improvement Programme.
The projects include constructing classrooms, drilling boreholes, providing toilets and desks, and fencing schools, particularly in rural areas.
Alausa added that the government has increased annual admission capacity in tertiary institutions from 750,000 to one million students and is harmonising tuition policies through NELFUND to ensure fairness and accessibility.
He highlighted the launch of the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative (NESRI) Roadmap as a key step in transforming the sector.
The six-pillar plan focuses on technical and vocational education, school infrastructure, girls’ education, reintegration of out-of-school children, curriculum reform, and digital learning.
Ongoing initiatives, he said, include a nationwide teacher development plan, a curriculum review to reduce subject overload while prioritising entrepreneurship and digital literacy, and a digital data system to track schools, teachers, and students.
The minister also cited the expansion of the World Bank-supported Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) project, which provides conditional cash transfers, improves school facilities, and equips girls with life and digital skills to overcome social and economic barriers.
Other key policies include the proposed 12-year uninterrupted basic education structure, plans to phase out the Junior WAEC examination to reduce dropout rates, and the upgrade of technical colleges nationwide.
Under the new model, students will receive free tuition and stipends, with 80 per cent of training focused on practicals and 20 per cent on theory.
Alausa added that the government has launched the National Education Data System, introduced a new basic education curriculum, intensified teacher training, and expanded the national school feeding programme.
He said the school feeding scheme now employs digital registries linked to the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to ensure transparency and accountability.
The minister described the new student loan scheme as one of the administration’s most significant achievements.
The initiative, NELFUND, provides interest-free loans to students in public universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education.
Also, medical 18 medical schools were rehabilitated (budget of N70 billion) to train more doctors.
The minister also embarked on curriculum reform revision to reduce overload, prioritise entrepreneurship and digital literacy.
The need for aligning educational policies for maximal impacts
With the scale of noticeable achievements at the federal level as recorded by the Federal Ministry of Education, TETFund, UBEC, NBTE and others, stakeholders have stressed the need for Federal, states and local governments to align or harmonized their educational policies with that of the Federal Government.
A lack of harmonised control in Nigeria’s education system is causing inconsistent policies, poor funding, weak infrastructure, curriculum instability, and a gap between policy and practice, resulting in a decline in quality, teacher motivation issues (like unequal pay), and ultimately hindering effective learning, creating a fragmented system with disparities between states and local areas.
Reforming Nigeria’s education sector, the stakeholders said, requires multifaceted interventions focusing on increased and efficient funding, curriculum modernisation, education summit, enhanced teacher development, and leveraging technology.
These reforms must aim at improving equitable quality, expanding access, and equipping students with skills for a 21st-century economy.
Key reform areas include increasing the education budget to align with the 15-20% UNESCO benchmark, which Nigeria has historically fallen short of. They also called for transparency and accountability in resource management to ensure funds are used effectively for infrastructure, resources, and teacher welfare.
They also stressed the need to strengthening governance and policy implementation in the areas of out-of-school-children, safe school initiatives and leaning problems.
These reforms require sustained commitment and collaboration from policymakers, educators, the private sector, and communities to build an effective and inclusive system that drives national development and hence, the need to organise an education summit in 2026.
Some stakeholders spoke with The Nation on the issue.
CONUA seeks coordinated policies across federal, state levels
Specifically, the Congress of University Academics (CONUA) agrees that the persistent challenges facing Nigeria’s education sector are closely linked to inadequate funding and the absence of harmonised, coordinated policies across federal and state levels. However, we believe the solution must go beyond rhetoric and ad-hoc interventions to deliberate and structured reforms.
On funding, CONUA National President Comrade ‘Niyi Sunmonu, PhD, maintains that education must be treated as a national investment and a first-line charge, not a residual budget item. Federal and state governments should commit to legally backed minimum budgetary allocations for education, supported by multi-year funding frameworks that are protected from political cycles.
Sunmonu said: “Equally important is ring-fencing education funds to prevent diversion, linking releases to clear deliverables, and ensuring transparency in utilisation. Increased allocation without accountability will not translate into improved learning outcomes.
“Second, on policy harmonisation, CONUA believes that Nigeria urgently needs a standing intergovernmental education coordination framework that brings together federal and state authorities, regulatory agencies, and key stakeholders. Harmonisation should not mean rigid uniformity. Rather, federal policies should set minimum standards, while allowing states and institutions flexible, phased implementation based on capacity. Sudden policy reversals and one-size fits-all reforms have done more harm than good and must be avoided.
“Finally, equity must be central to both funding and policy design. Harmonised initiatives must deliberately address disparities between urban and rural areas, conflict-affected regions, and well-resourced versus underserved institutions. Without equity safeguards, harmonisation risks deepening exclusion rather than solving it.
“CONUA’s position is clear: sustainable reform in education requires predictable funding, coordinated and inclusive policy design, and strict accountability. Only through these measures can Nigeria build an education system that is stable, equitable, and capable of supporting national development in the 21st century.”
NAPTAN calls for stakeholders education summit
Chairman of Board of Trustees, National Parents Teachers Association of Nigeria (NAPTAN), Chief Adeolu Ogunbanjo, noted that harmonisation may take a while to show results in the sector. But steps have been taken to address it.
“There should be Stakeholders Education Summit on tertiary education and other issues by 2026 so that everybody will now come to the table. But, at least they have started with both basic and secondary education now. So, let us see how that evolves into tertiary education.
Ogunbanjo mentioned the controversies generated by the Mother Tongue cancellation in schools as parts of issues that need resolution.
“Let everybody come to the table, especially the 2009 agreement with ASUU by the President Goodluck Jonathan government. It is becoming very difficult for government to implement.
“So, these and other situations should be discussed at the 2026 education summit,” he said.
AFED: challenges plundering education system are multifaceted
National President of the Association for Formidable Educational Development (AFED), Orji Kanu Emmanuel submitted that the challenges plundering Nigeria’s education system are multifaceted, with funding often cited as the primary culprit.
However, Emmanuel revealed that a closer examination revealed that the lack of harmonised policies across federal, state, and local governments is equally, if not more, responsible for the sector’s woes.
To address this, he believes that Nigeria must not only increase budgetary allocations to education but also embark on a comprehensive overhaul of its policy framework.
The AFED boss said education is a potent catalyst for redirecting a nation’s trajectory, and Nigeria’s inability to harness this potential is glaring.
“The system remains entrenched in theoretical knowledge, neglecting practical skills that are imperative for national development. Moreover, mismanagement and corruption have siphoned resources meant for education, exacerbating inequalities and stifling progress.
“The ruling class, comprising a mere 10% of the population, may inadvertently perpetuate this status quo, but its consequences are far-reaching. An unskilled and semi-skilled population is vulnerable to manipulation, more likely to engage in criminal activities, and ill-equipped to contribute meaningfully to the economy. While funding is a critical component, it is not the sole solution,” he said.
Nigeria’s education system, spanning over six decades, he noted, still grapples with inability to help citizens develop fundamental skills in Iocal infrastructure development, battling ineffective tax collection mechanisms, knowledge and skills, now going to France to learn skills to fix our road networks, unable to feed its population, leading to over-reliance on foreign expertise.
According to Emmanuel, “To break this cycle, policies must prioritise local problem-solving. We must craft a curriculum that equips students to tackle these challenges, drawing inspiration from nations that have navigated similar developmental contexts. This approach would not only address immediate needs but also foster a culture of innovation and self-sufficiency.
“I urge Minister Dr. Moruf Alausa and his team to champion a paradigm shift towards a genuinely people-centric curriculum. This should focus on location-specific problem-solving, leveraging technology, and fostering partnerships with the private sector to drive growth. By doing so, we can unlock Nigeria’s development potential, propel the nation forward, and ensure that education serves as a beacon of hope for future generations.
“The minister putting up a true people’s national curriculum conference would not be a bad idea.”
Place national economy, education under public ownership, says Soweto
In an interview with The Nation, National Coordinator, Education Rights Campaign (ERC) Hassan Taiwo Soweto, noted that Nigeria is a country practically swimming in an ocean of wealth.
Soweto submitted: “The country has one of the largest economies on the continent. This is aside the innumerable tapped and yet-to-be-tapped mineral and natural resources as well as the limitless potential of its human resources.
“But, decades of lack of democratic economic planning and commitment to neoliberal and IMF/World Bank economic diktat has ensured that all these wealth does not reflect in the condition of public education. “All that a government interested in funding public education adequately need to do is to, first and foremost, place the key sectors of the country’s national economy under public ownership. This will immediately eliminate the bevy of rentier and profiteering capitalist elite and multinationals who, due to decades of privatisation, deregulation and commercialisation policies, have taken monopolistic positions along the value chain of different sectors of the economy extracting profit along the way while leaving the mass of the people with crumbs as public revenue. Secondly, such a publicly owned economy must be immediately subjected to workers democratic control and management to prevent bureaucratism and corruption taking hold.
“These two important steps, if taken, will release to the government a huge national wealth which is currently trapped in the hands of the capitalist elite and multinationals masquerading as investors. This will increase the national revenue multiple fold, thereby allowing the government to be able to allocate more resources not just to funding public education adequately in terms of teaching facilities and a conducive environment but also in terms of improving the wages and working conditions of teachers, thereby restoring the dignity of the teaching profession.”
Meanwhile, the maiden edition of the Nigeria Education Forum (NEF 2025), organised by the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), the Federal Ministry of Education (FME), the Committee of States’ Commissioners of Education in Nigeria (COSCEN) and other partners, took place in Abuja recently. It was aimed at ensuring that the dreams of today’s children do not die prematurely because of the absence of a functional educational system and equitable policies that guarantees the realisation of their future aspirations.
But, stakeholders in the sector have welcomed the renewed focus by the Federal Government and state governors on tackling the challenges in the education sector. However, they said the two-tier of government must come up with how to tackle the critical issues affecting the sector holistically.
