Fed Govt, Governors, Partners Join Forces to Tackle Rot in Education

The Federal Government, state governors and key development partners have renewed their collaborative push to rescue Nigeria’s struggling education sector, following the maiden Nigeria Education Forum (NEF 2025) held in Abuja on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The forum, organised by the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), the Federal Ministry of Education, the Committee of States’ Commissioners of Education in Nigeria and other partners, brought together major players to address long-standing challenges including poor infrastructure, underfunding, learning crises and the rising population of out-of-school children.

Vice-President Kashim Shettima and NGF Chairman AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq used the platform to call for a new and diversified funding model, warning that government-only financing is no longer sustainable for a modern, competitive education system.

Shettima, represented by Dr Aliyu Modibbo Umar, highlighted the administration’s increased commitment to the sector, noting the rise in annual allocations from N1.54 trillion in 2023 to N3.52 trillion in 2025 under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda.

He stressed that despite increased investments, the demands of today’s classrooms from digital competence to industry-aligned training require broader partnerships involving the private sector, alumni networks, philanthropists and communities.

“The country can no longer depend exclusively on traditional models of government-only funding. We must transition to a collaborative, innovative and resilient system,” the Vice-President said.

“Our needs have evolved from classrooms to laboratories, from basic literacy to industry-aligned skills. These demands require a diversified and sustainable financing model robust enough for a new generation,” he added.

NGF Chairman AbdulRazaq, represented by Director-General Abdulateef Shittu, said the forum aimed to reinvent education financing and strengthen partnerships between academia, industry and government to drive sustainable development.

He noted that while many states have increased education budgets, execution remains a major challenge, stressing the need to close financing gaps, modernise learning systems, scale up teacher training and expand access to secondary schools in line with national priorities.