Education

Nigeria’s education sector is confronting a deep and widening learning crisis that poses a serious threat to national development. Despite a structured 6-3-3-4 system, millions of children remain out of school, with an estimated 18.5 million not receiving formal education as of 2026 one of the highest figures globally.

At its core, this crisis reflects a system under pressure, where underfunding, insecurity, and structural weaknesses continue to limit access, quality, and outcomes. Education, which should serve as the foundation for national progress, is increasingly failing to equip a generation of Nigerians with the skills and opportunities needed for the future.

Key Issues in Nigeria’s Education Sector

• Underfunding, Weak Infrastructure & Limited Digital Readiness: Nigeria’s education sector remains chronically underfunded, with budget allocations consistently between 6% and 8%, far below international benchmarks. This has resulted in dilapidated school infrastructure, overcrowded classrooms, and frequent disruptions from strikes over poor welfare and unpaid salaries, especially by unions such as ASUU. These structural gaps also mean many schools lack the basic digital infrastructure needed for modern learning, including stable electricity, internet access, and devices required for effective AI integration.

• Insecurity and Disrupted Learning Environments: Insecurity, particularly in the North-East, has forced the closure of thousands of schools due to insurgency and banditry. Incidents such as the abduction of schoolgirls in Chibok, Borno State, highlight the severity of the crisis. These attacks have created fear among parents and students, significantly reducing school attendance and limiting exposure to both conventional education and emerging digital learning tools, including AI-based learning platforms.

• Teacher Shortages, Capacity Gaps & Low AI Literacy: Nigeria faces a shortage of over 277,000 teachersat the basic education level. Beyond numbers, there is also a quality gap, with a significant proportion of educators lacking advanced qualifications, including reports that about 43% of university lecturers do not hold a PhD. In addition, many teachers lack training in digital tools and AI-powered teaching methods, limiting their ability to integrate modern technology into classrooms effectively.
• Outdated Curriculum: The education curriculum remains largely theoretical and outdated, with limited integration of digital literacy, vocational skills, and emerging competencies such as AI usage, prompt engineering, and data literacy. This creates a widening gap between what students are taught and the realities of today’s digital economy, leaving many graduates unprepared for modern work environments.
• Academic Fraud, & Systemic Corruption: Examination malpractice, certificate forgery, and “special centres” for cheating continue to undermine the credibility of Nigeria’s education system. The emergence of AI tools has further complicated this challenge, with growing concerns around students over-relying on AI for assignments and assessments, reducing critical thinking and academic integrity, especially in the absence of clear regulatory and monitoring frameworks.

• Socio-Economic Barriers and Unequal Access to Digital Learning: High poverty levels make education difficult to access, with indirect costs such as uniforms, books, transport, and digital access placing heavy burdens on families. In addition, high data costs and lack of devices mean many Nigerian students cannot access AI-powered learning tools outside school, widening the gap between urban and rural learners and deepening educational inequality.
• Poor Learning Outcomes and Limited Access to AI-Enabled Learning Systems: Learning outcomes remain critical, with about 70% of 10-year-olds unable to read or understand a simple sentence. At the higher education level, over 1 million qualified applicants are denied admission annuallydue to limited capacity. These foundational learning gaps also limit the effective adoption of AI in education, as many students lack the basic literacy and digital skills required to benefit from modern learning technologies.

Solutions

Addressing Nigeria’s education crisis requires bold, coordinated reforms driven by strong government leadership, supported by private sector participation and community engagement. The focus must be on increasing investment in education, improving teacher welfare and capacity, modernising the curriculum to reflect digital realities, strengthening school infrastructure, and ensuring safe, secure learning environments for every Nigerian student.

• Increased Funding, Accountability and Infrastructure Revitalisation: A Makinde Administration will prioritise education funding towards global benchmarks while strengthening transparency and accountability in resource utilisation. Public-private partnerships will be leveraged to support school development, while nationwide rehabilitation of classrooms, laboratories, and learning facilities will be undertaken. Investment will also focus on electricity, internet connectivity, and digital infrastructure to enable modern and AI-driven learning across schools.
• Safe, Inclusive and Accessible Learning Environments: Targeted security interventions will be implemented to protect schools, particularly in vulnerable regions, ensuring children can learn without fear. Inclusive policies will support disadvantaged groups, including girls and low-income families, through targeted programmes and community engagement to improve enrolment and retention.
• Teacher Development, Welfare and Professional Standards: The administration will recruit more teachers, improve remuneration and welfare, and strengthen retention through competitive incentives. Continuous professional development will be prioritised, including training in modern teaching methods, digital literacy, and AI integration, while enforcing quality standards to ensure only qualified educators are in the system.
• Curriculum Reform and Skills for the Digital Economy: The curriculum will be modernised to reflect current realities by integrating digital literacy, AI skills, vocational training, and entrepreneurship. Greater emphasis will be placed on practical, competency-based learning to improve critical thinking, problem-solving, and employability.
• Strengthening Academic Integrity and System Credibility: Robust monitoring systems and technology-driven solutions will be introduced to curb examination malpractice and restore trust in the education system. Clear policies will guide the responsible use of AI in learning, ensuring it supports education without undermining academic standards.
• Expanding Access and Bridging the Digital Divide: Barriers to education will be reduced by improving access to learning materials, expanding affordable internet services, and providing digital tools to underserved communities. New schools will be developed to reduce overcrowding and improve student-teacher ratios, ensuring equitable access across urban and rural areas.
• Improving Learning Outcomes and Expanding Opportunities: The administration will prioritise foundational education to strengthen literacy and numeracy, while expanding access to higher education and alternative pathways such as technical and vocational training. This will ensure more Nigerian students are equipped with the skills needed to succeed in a modern and competitive economy.

Rebuilding Nigeria’s education system is possible where every student has access to quality learning, modern skills, and real opportunities to succeed. A Makinde Administration will carry out bold reforms to reposition education in a new direction, where access, quality, and relevance are guaranteed.

Education must prepare Nigerians for real opportunities and position the nation to compete in a global economy.

Vote Seyi Makinde for President in 2027.

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