Nigeria Records Major Progress in Basic Education as NESRI Reform Gains Momentum

Nigeria has recorded notable improvements in its basic education sector following the release of a new progress report under the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative (NESRI), presented by the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, at the 2026 Basic Education Bootcamp held in Jos.

The report highlights ongoing reforms aimed at improving access to education, enhancing learning quality, and strengthening Nigeria’s human capital development system. According to the Minister, the government remains committed to reducing the number of out-of-school children and addressing learning poverty across the country.

Despite ongoing challenges, including an estimated 15 million out-of-school children and millions more struggling with basic literacy skills, the report shows early signs of improvement driven by recent interventions.

Between January 2025 and January 2026, the Federal Government released ₦106 billion in Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) matching grants, marking one of the largest education funding disbursements in recent years. These funds were directed toward improving infrastructure, learning resources, and teacher capacity nationwide.

Key achievements also include the training of approximately 978,000 teachers, renovation of 10,000 classrooms, distribution of 7.8 million textbooks, and the investment of ₦22 billion in teacher professional development. In addition, School-Based Management Committees received ₦2.035 billion to support community-led school improvement projects.

Minister Alausa noted that these investments are already contributing to better learning environments and improved teaching standards across public schools.

The three-day Bootcamp, themed “Enhancing Access to Inclusive Education and Bridging the Gap for Out of School Children in Nigeria,” brought together policymakers, development partners, and education stakeholders to review progress and strengthen implementation strategies for NESRI.

Declaring the event open, the Governor of Plateau State, Caleb Manasseh Muftwang, described the out-of-school children crisis as a national emergency, warning that failure to address it could worsen insecurity and poverty.

He also outlined Plateau State’s investments in education infrastructure, including the construction of 397 new classrooms, rehabilitation of 557 existing classrooms, installation of 33 motorized boreholes in schools, and the provision of thousands of furniture items to improve learning conditions.

During the event, the governor also announced the launch of key national policy documents, including the National Policy on Inclusive Education, the National Policy on Almajiri Education, and the National Guidelines for the Re-entry of Married and Pregnant Adolescent Girls, all aimed at promoting inclusive access to education.

The Minister of State for Education, Suwaiba Sai’di Ahmad, acknowledged that the out-of-school children population remains a major concern. However, she emphasized ongoing efforts to expand alternative learning pathways, strengthen technical and vocational education, and promote digital learning through initiatives such as LUMINA 2030.

The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Abel O. Enitan, also highlighted progress under NESRI, including nationwide mapping of out-of-school children, curriculum reforms, expansion of digital learning systems, strengthened TVET programmes, and the rollout of the Learner Identification Number (LIN).

He stressed the importance of state-level implementation to ensure that federal education policies translate into measurable improvements in classrooms across the country.

As discussions continue, participants are expected to develop a consolidated action plan focusing on data-driven planning, inclusive education models, improved teacher quality, stronger community engagement, and accelerated reintegration of out-of-school children.

Across all sessions, stakeholders reaffirmed a central message: Nigeria’s long-term development depends on strengthening foundational learning and ensuring that every child has access to quality education.