• Education Minister seeks stronger federal–state synergy

Vice President Kashim Shettima and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, have called for a fundamental shift in how Nigeria funds its education sector, insisting that the growing demands of modern education require diversified and sustainable financing models.

They delivered the message yesterday in Abuja at the opening of the maiden Nigeria Education Forum (NEF 2025), organised by the NGF, the Federal Ministry of Education, the Committee of States’ Commissioners of Education (COSCEN), and other partners.

Represented by his Special Adviser on Special Duties, Dr. Aliyu Modibbo Umar, the Vice President said Nigeria must move away from the old model where government alone funds education.

“The country can no longer depend exclusively on traditional government-only funding. We must transition to a system that is collaborative, innovative, and resilient,” he said.

Rising investments, rising challenges

Shettima highlighted the administration’s increasing commitment to education financing.
He noted that budgetary allocations have risen steadily from N1.54 trillion (2023) to N2.18 trillion (2024) and now N3.52 trillion (2025) under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

But he warned that the current realities—including a rising population of out-of-school children, inadequate infrastructure, and shortages of skilled teachers—require more than increased funding.

“Our needs have expanded from classrooms to laboratories, from basic literacy to digital competence, and from theoretical knowledge to industry-aligned skills,” he said.

Call for private sector, community, and alumni involvement

The Vice President stressed that Nigeria’s education sector will not thrive on public financing alone. He called for deeper involvement of the private sector, philanthropists, alumni associations, communities, and traditional institutions.

He urged:

• Companies to co-invest in laboratories, vocational centres, innovation hubs, and research infrastructures.
• Local governments and traditional rulers to take responsibility for school infrastructure and teacher welfare.
• Universities to build sustainable endowment funds and strengthen alumni engagement.

“Through shared responsibility and collaboration between town and gown, we can reshape our educational landscape and prepare our youth for a world defined by innovation and skills,” Shettima said.

Governors’ Forum: Financing gaps must be closed

Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State, represented by NGF Director-General Abdulateef Shittu, said the NEF 2025 was both a national dialogue and a national commitment to rethink how Nigeria engages stakeholders in funding education.

He admitted that although many states have increased their education budgets, execution remains a major challenge.

The governor projected that two-thirds of states will meet the global 15% education budget benchmark in 2026.
However, he noted that debt servicing pressures continue to limit states’ ability to invest in teachers, technical education, and higher institutions.

“We must close both the financing and execution gaps and modernise teaching, learning, and skills development,” he said.

Education Minister pushes for alignment with federal reforms

Minister of Education, Dr. Morufu Alausa, represented by Minister of State for Education Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, urged governors and commissioners to align their state policies with the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative (NESRI).

He called for:

• Construction of more JSS and SSS schools to expand access
• Full integration with the Nigerian Education Data Initiative (NEDI)
• Scaling up teacher training and digital learning
• Stronger partnerships with the private sector to grow TVET and STEMM programmes