Tunji Alausa, minister of education, has called on state governments to take full advantage of the World Bank-supported Hope for Quality Basic Education for All (HOPE-EDU) programme, which provides $552 million in performance-based financing to subnationals to boost Nigeria’s basic education sector.
Alausa spoke on Tuesday during the opening of the five-day
executive retreat for commissioners of education, organised by the Committee of
States’ Commissioners of Education (COSCEN) in Abuja.
BACKGROUND
In March 2026, the federal government announced the
unlocking of the $552 million HOPE-EDU financing to fast-track reforms aimed at
improving foundational learning, expanding access and strengthening education
systems across participating states.
According to the World Bank, disbursements under the project
are tied to verifiable results, including increased enrolment, improved
learning outcomes and other critical reforms.
The project seeks to benefit about 30 million children and
500,000 teachers across 65,000 public schools and 10,000 non-formal learning
centres nationwide.
A statement by Ikharo Attah, special adviser on media and
communications to Alausa, said the “minister observed that although all 36
states are eligible to benefit from the programme, several are yet to complete
critical requirements, including signing Subsidiary Loan Agreements (SLAs),
opening designated programme accounts and fulfilling mandatory data reporting
obligations”.
He urged the commissioners to work closely with the
education ministry and the World Bank to meet the programme-for-results
requirements and unlock additional resources to improve access, learning
outcomes and education governance.
The minister said Nigeria’s education reforms can only
succeed through stronger collaboration between the federal and state
governments and a deliberate shift to data-driven decision-making.
Describing education as the nation’s most powerful tool for
economic growth, national security and sustainable development, Alausa said
President Bola Tinubu has placed the sector at the centre of the Renewed Hope
agenda by providing the political leadership and support needed to pursue bold
reforms capable of transforming Nigeria’s education system.
He said while the federal government provides policy
direction and strategic interventions, the responsibility for delivering
quality education rests largely with the states, making stronger collaboration
indispensable to achieving meaningful and lasting reforms.
The minister commended COSCEN for convening the retreat,
describing it as a timely platform for strengthening strategic leadership,
fostering peer learning and deepening cooperation among education stakeholders
across the country.
He described the transition from assumption-based planning
to evidence-based governance as one of the most significant reforms underway in
Nigeria’s education sector.
Alausa said the deployment of the National Education Data
Infrastructure (NEDI) and the Digitalised Nigeria Education Management
Information System (DNEMIS) would provide real-time information on learner
enrolment, teacher deployment, school infrastructure, learning outcomes and
other critical indicators needed for effective planning, budgeting, monitoring
and resource allocation.
The minister urged all states to complete their annual
school census using the digitised platform, commending Kaduna and Borno states
for their progress while encouraging others to accelerate implementation.
‘DIGITAL DASHBOARD DEPLOYED’
He noted that the ministry has already deployed digital
dashboards and smart boards to support evidence-based planning, with the
National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) providing additional analytical support to
strengthen education planning nationwide.
“To sustain reform momentum, the Minister proposed that the
Council of State Commissioners of Education institutionalise quarterly review
meetings to promote peer learning, monitor progress, exchange best practices
and strengthen collective accountability across the federation,” the statement
reads.
“He, however, cautioned against investing exclusively in
expensive smart school infrastructure without adequate provisions for
sustainability and maintenance, stressing that quality instructional materials,
effective teacher support and conducive learning environments remain the most
critical drivers of improved learning outcomes.”
The minister reaffirmed that education remains a shared
national responsibility that transcends political affiliations and called on
all stakeholders to institutionalise reliable education data, strengthen
accountability, invest in human capital and sustain collaborative reforms
capable of delivering measurable improvements in learning outcomes.
Among the dignitaries at the event were Osita Chidoka,
former minister of aviation, who delivered the keynote address; Mathew Verghis,
senior economist representing the World Bank country director; and Shin Nomura,
task team leader for the HOPE Education Programme.
Verghis said the programme became effective in March 2026
and is designed to improve education governance, financing, teacher
development, learning outcomes and data systems through a performance-based
financing model.
He urged states to complete all preparatory requirements to
enable timely access to the programme’s funding.
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