Nigeria and Italy have stepped up efforts to mobilise $5 billion for education globally, with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu declaring that the initiative aligns with his administration's drive to expand access to quality education and strengthen teacher capacity. The two countries, co-hosts of the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) financing campaign, renewed the push on Wednesday at the "Multiply Possibility" high-level event on "A New Era for Education Financing", held on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York, United States.
President Tinubu, in a video message to the gathering, said the GPE vision was consistent with Nigeria's education agenda, particularly its focus on improving learning outcomes through increased access and capacity building for teachers. He also commended stakeholders in the Global Partnership for Education for their efforts to accelerate education financing across the world. This move is expected to have a positive impact on education in Nigeria and other countries.
Vice President Kashim Shettima, who is representing Tinubu and leading Nigeria's delegation to UNGA 81, told the gathering that the administration regards education as a strategic investment in Nigeria's economic future rather than merely another item of public expenditure. In a statement issued by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications, Office of the Vice President, Stanley Nkwocha, Shettima said "for Nigeria, education is not an expenditure at the margins of our development agenda.
Shettima said the Tinubu administration had substantially increased resources devoted to education since coming to office in 2023, while pursuing reforms to strengthen basic education financing, expand foundational learning and improve access to tertiary and technical education. "Through the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, we are widening access to higher education, while strengthening the link between education, skills, employment and enterprise", the Vice President added.
Shettima disclosed that the Federal Government was also looking beyond conventional budgetary allocations to find sustainable sources of education financing. According to him, Tinubu had directed that liquid funds recovered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, once legally cleared and free from litigation, should be channelled to the Nigerian Education Loan Fund. He said the Federal Executive Council had also recently approved consideration of unclaimed dividends and dormant funds for the same purpose.
The Vice President also pointed to Nigeria's partnerships with the World Bank and GPE through the HOPE-EDU programme as an example of how international cooperation could complement domestic investment, saying the programme was expected to reach about 29 million children and 500,000 teachers nationwide. This partnership is a significant step towards achieving the country's education goals.
Governments and donors at the event made commitments towards supporting the education of at least 370 million children worldwide, with Italy pledging €50 million for GPE programmes and interventions. The Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, praised Tinubu's leadership and Nigeria's determination to improve educational outcomes, while calling on partners in the global alliance to intensify efforts to reverse education deficits in developing countries.
Key points
- Nigeria and Italy are co-hosting the Global Partnership for Education financing campaign to mobilise $5 billion for global education.
- The initiative aligns with Nigeria's education reforms, focusing on improving learning outcomes and teacher capacity.
- The campaign aims to unlock additional domestic education financing in partner countries and support the education of at least 370 million children worldwide.
