Despite being major beneficiaries of the oil revenue windfall, all six south-south states failed to meet the 26 per cent education funding benchmark prescribed by the Federal Ministry of Education’s National Policy on Education for 2026 budgets, according to a Premium Times analysis of approved budgets. The states examined are Delta, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Bayelsa, Edo and Rivers, with none allocating up to the recommended threshold to education covering personnel, overhead and capital expenditure.
The findings stand in stark contrast to the situation in the south-east region, where states with comparatively lower revenues have made stronger commitments to education spending. Enugu State allocated N521.87 billion to education, representing 32.21 per cent of its total expenditure, surpassing the national benchmark. Abia and Ebonyi states also posted higher percentages than their south-south counterparts.
In Delta State, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori earmarked N207.27 billion for education out of a N1.73 trillion budget, representing just 11.98 per cent. Delta’s allocation is the highest among south-south states both in absolute terms and as a percentage, yet it remains less than half the national benchmark. Notably, Delta recorded a revenue surplus of N1.03 trillion in 2025, generating N2.21 trillion against a projected N1.179 trillion, yet education spending did not significantly improve.
Akwa Ibom allocated N94.41 billion to education out of N1.158 trillion, representing just 8.15 per cent, ranking second-highest in the region for out-of-school children at 10.6 per cent. Cross River allocated N92.74 billion, representing 9.6 per cent, while Bayelsa allotted N76.7 billion, just 7.52 per cent. Edo State allocated N59.72 billion, representing only 6.35 per cent, despite having the region’s highest prevalence of out-of-school children at 11.3 per cent. For Rivers State, no 2026 budget document is publicly available due to the ongoing political crisis, though in 2025 the state allocated 15.84 per cent to education, still below the benchmark.
The chronic underfunding of education in Nigeria’s oil-producing states carries long-term economic implications. Human capital development, particularly foundational literacy and numeracy, directly affects future labour productivity and the region’s ability to diversify beyond oil dependence. With the global energy transition gradually reducing demand for fossil fuels, states that fail to invest in education risk being left without the skilled workforce necessary to attract investment in emerging sectors.
