By our Reporter
The Federal Ministry of Education has unveiled two key reports to drive reforms in girls’ education: “State of Girl-Child Education in Ten States” and “Analysis of State-Level Financing of Girl-Child Education in Nigeria.” The initiative, led by Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, aims to ensure inclusive, equitable, and quality education for all Nigerian girls.
Speaking in Abuja, Prof. Ahmad emphasized that the reports will guide data-driven policy reforms, improve budget decisions, and inspire targeted investments. She also announced a new initiative to return out-of-school girls to classrooms, stressing the need for gender-responsive budgeting and stronger inter-governmental coordination.
The Girls’ Education Performance Assessment reveals progress in enrollment and retention, especially through community and donor-supported efforts. The financing report highlights major disparities in education spending—Jigawa (32%), Kano (31%), and Kaduna (26%) lead, while Akwa Ibom (6%), Sokoto (8%), and Gombe (9.8%) lag behind.
Mr. Sunkanmi Adefadoju of SSPL urged institutionalizing cash transfers, scholarships, and school feeding to bridge funding gaps. SSPL CEO, Murtala Adogi Mohammed, called for increased education funding, noting Nigeria currently spends only 1.9% of its national budget on education, below the 4% global benchmark.
Malala Fund CEO, Nabila Aguele, urged actionable reforms based on the findings, calling the reports “tools for action.” The event convened Commissioners of Education, CSOs, UNESCO, and other key stakeholders.
