Nigeria's N988bn Education Budget Fails to Stem Out-of-School Crisis By Anthony Eze

Nigeria's education budget has increased significantly in recent years, rising from ₦602 billion in 2020 to ₦988 billion in 2024. Yet, despite this sustained public investment, the country continues to have the world's largest population of out-of-school children—estimated at 18.3 million, according to UNESCO and UNICEF's 2024 reports. Put differently, one in every five out-of-school children globally is Nigerian.

The contradiction is striking.

While federal allocations have grown, more than ₦250 billion in Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) matching grants reportedly remained unassessed or unutilized by state governments as of mid-2025, according to UBEC officials.

This is no longer simply a question of inadequate funding. The evidence increasingly points to systemic governance challenges, weak accountability, poor implementation, insecurity, and misplaced priorities that continue to deny millions of Nigerian children—particularly those in conflict-affected northern states—access to quality education.

Yet, practical solutions exist. From improving access to education financing following local government financial autonomy reforms to strengthening transparency and citizen oversight of public spending, the challenge is no longer identifying the solutions—it is implementing them consistently.

Education Budget vs. Out-of-School Children (2020–2024)

Year

Education Budget (₦ Billion)

Out-of-School Children (Million)

•2020

602

10.2

•2021

742

11.5

•2022

807

12.6

•2023

1,079

13.2

•2024

988

18.3

Sources: National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), UBEC, UNESCO/UNICEF (2024–2025).

Note: The 2024 estimate of 18.3 million out-of-school children reflects updated estimation methodologies and revised education data by UNESCO and UNICEF rather than a one-year increase in new cases. The lower federal education allocation in 2024 compared with 2023 reflects annual budget adjustments and does not necessarily indicate reduced overall education expenditure across all levels of government.

Data Analysis

The figures reveal a troubling pattern.

Between 2020 and 2024, Nigeria's federal education budget increased from ₦602 billion to ₦988 billion, representing a 64.12% increase. During the same period, the estimated number of out-of-school children rose from 10.2 million to 18.3 million—a much steeper 79.41% increase.

Rather than declining as public investment increased, the number of children excluded from formal education expanded even faster. This suggests that increasing budgetary allocations alone is insufficient to improve educational access when implementation, accountability, insecurity, and governance challenges remain unresolved.

The data also raise important questions about how education funds are allocated, managed, and monitored. Delays in accessing UBEC matching grants, prolonged school closures caused by insecurity, inadequate teacher recruitment, poor learning infrastructure, and weak oversight continue to undermine the impact of increased public spending.

Ultimately, the evidence points to a fundamental lesson: the effectiveness of education spending matters just as much as the size of the budget itself. Without stronger accountability mechanisms and targeted interventions that ensure public funds translate into classrooms, qualified teachers, learning materials, and safe learning environments, higher budget allocations alone are unlikely to reverse Nigeria's out-of-school crisis.

Key Findings

•Nigeria's education budget increased by 64.12% between 2020 and 2024.

•The estimated number of out-of-school children increased by 79.41% during the same period.

•Nigeria continues to have the world's largest population of out-of-school children.

•The evidence suggests that governance, accountability, implementation, and security—not funding alone—remain the principal barriers to improving educational outcomes.

Pathways to Reform

Addressing Nigeria's education crisis requires reforms that focus on both financing and accountability.

•Reform UBEC funding: Make matching grants more predictable, time-bound, and easier for states to access while enforcing strict accountability for their utilization.

•Prioritize basic education: Increase investment in primary education, where learning gaps are most severe.

•Expand community-based learning: Establish flexible, low-cost schools in conflict-affected and underserved communities to reach displaced children.

•Strengthen transparency: Expand public budget-tracking platforms to include basic education expenditure, enabling citizens to monitor how education funds are spent.

•Promote citizen oversight: Empower civil society organizations, communities, parents, and the media to monitor education projects and demand accountability from public officials.

Call to Action

Every Nigerian child deserves access to quality education.

Citizens, journalists, civil society organizations, and policymakers must demand greater transparency in how education funds are allocated and utilized. State governments should publicly disclose the status of their UBEC matching grants and provide regular updates on education projects.

Accountability begins with transparency, and transparency creates the foundation for meaningful reform. Nigeria's future depends on ensuring that public investment in education produces measurable outcomes—not merely larger budget figures.

Sources

•National Bureau of Statistics (NBS)

•Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC)

•UNESCO/UNICEF Reports (2024–2025)

Editorial guidance for this article was provided by Mentor JK.

Anthony Eze.