The Federal Ministry of Education says it is intensifying efforts to attract private sector and international investment to support ongoing reforms in Nigeria’s education sector.
The ministry disclosed this in a statement released on its official handle on March 24, 2026, following a CEO Breakfast Roundtable held in Lagos. According to the statement, Minister of Education Maruf Tunji Alausa said the push aligns with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which is aimed at boosting productivity, innovation and inclusive growth across the country.
The roundtable convened stakeholders from both the public and private sectors to explore alternative financing options and strengthen collaboration under the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative. Alausa said that although progress has been recorded in policy reform, digitisation and partnerships, major challenges remain, including the large number of out-of-school children, persistent learning gaps and skills shortages.
He said the ministry is working to expand technical and vocational education, strengthen teacher capacity, reintegrate out-of-school children and scale digital infrastructure across the system.
“The engagement is part of ongoing efforts to mobilise investment and strengthen collaboration for sustainable education reform,” the ministry said.
Also speaking, Minister of State for Education Suwaiba Said Ahmad described the meeting as a critical step in deepening partnerships needed to improve the sector’s performance.
The ministry said development partners, including the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) and the United Kingdom, reaffirmed their support for Nigeria’s reform drive, while Italy announced plans to host the fifth GPE Replenishment Conference in Rome.
It added that stakeholders at the meeting endorsed new financing models and a Basic Education Investment Framework, with the Airtel Africa Foundation indicating support for digital learning and connectivity initiatives.
As part of next steps, the ministry said a Public-Private Education Technical Working Group will be established to coordinate implementation and drive investments across the sector.
The Federal Ministry of Education reiterated its commitment to improving learning outcomes through sustained partnerships, stronger accountability and broader investment in education delivery.
