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 northe...
T-Fresh Civic Voice is a civic storytelling and research journalism platform documenting Nigerian realities, education, governance, gender equality, and citizen participation. We highlight challenges, resilience, and everyday struggles shaping access to opportunity, from Almajiri children to off-campus students.