The Federal Ministry of Education has unveiled two strategic reports designed to deliver inclusive, equitable, and quality education for all Nigerian girls.
Speaking at a One-Day Dissemination Session on Strengthening Girls’ Education in Nigeria, held in Abuja on Wednesday, the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, said the evidence from the reports would guide much-needed policy reforms and investments to get more girls into classrooms.
The reports — State of Girl-Child Education in Ten States of Nigeria and Analysis of State-Level Financing of Girl-Child Education in Nigeria — are part of broader efforts to address the challenges facing girls’ education in the country.
“These two knowledge products are strategic investments and tools designed to help us understand where we are, what needs to change, and how to ensure every Nigerian girl can access, stay in, and thrive through education,” Ahmad said.
She explained that the Girls’ Education Performance Assessment provides a comprehensive review of progress at federal and state levels, highlighting policies that have improved enrolment, retention, and learning outcomes through community involvement and donor support.
On financing, Ahmad said the Girls’ Education Financing in Nigeria report examines how public and private funds are allocated, disbursed, and utilised, adding that gender-responsive budgeting and better coordination between all levels of government are crucial.
“It is imperative that we move toward gender-responsive budgeting, efficient resource utilisation, and stronger coordination between federal, state, and local governments,” she said. She also urged stakeholders to translate the reports into effective policies and partnerships, warning against letting them “die by dust on shelves.”
Speaking virtually, the Chief Executive of the Malala Fund, Nabila Aguele, reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s education sector. She urged policymakers to act on the new data, saying, “These reports are not just documents; they are tools that provide evidence for making more informed, equitable, and impactful decisions for Nigeria’s girls — and for us all.”
Presenting findings from the State of Girl-Child Education in Ten States, Mr. Sunkanmi Adefadoju, Monitoring and Evaluation Consultant at System Strategy and Policy Lab (SSPL), highlighted significant disparities in education budget allocation.
He noted that states like Jigawa (32%), Kano (31%), and Kaduna (26%) showed strong fiscal commitment, while others like Akwa Ibom (6%), Sokoto (8%), and Gombe (9.8%) lag behind. He also pointed out that many states lack dedicated budget lines for girls’ education, which undermines consistent interventions.
“For example, Borno supports girls with incentives in all junior secondary schools and cash transfers in 90% of them, while Sokoto and Jigawa have no targeted programmes. Akwa Ibom spends only 6% of its budget on education with no dedicated funds for girls, showing a gap between policy and action,” he said.
Adefadoju recommended scaling up incentives and cash transfers by institutionalising scholarships and school feeding programmes, and strengthening budget planning and emergency preparedness.
Also speaking, Murtala Adogi Mohammed, Founder and CEO of System Strategy and Policy Lab, called for an increase in education budget allocations, pointing out that Nigeria spends only 1.9% of its budget on education compared to the global benchmark of 4%. He urged the government to expand access for girls at the secondary school level.
The session brought together Commissioners of Education from ten states, representatives from the Malala Fund, UNESCO, civil society organisations, and other key stakeholders. The programme is supported by the Malala Fund.
Elijah Adeyemi.
