FG Urges States to Meet Conditions for Accessing $552m Education Fund

Kuni Tyessi in Abuja

The federal government has called on all 36 state governments to sign Subsidiary Loan Agreements (SLAs), open designated programme accounts, and submit education data in order to access the $552 million World Bank supported “HOPE Education Programme”.

Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, made the call yesterday at the opening of a five-day executive retreat for Commissioners of Education organised by the Committee of States’ Commissioners of Education (COSCEN) in Abuja.

Alausa said the performance-based financing was a key component of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and was designed to improve access, learning outcomes, teacher development, and education governance across the country.

He said, “Although all 36 states are eligible to benefit from the programme, several are yet to complete critical requirements.

“I urge commissioners to work closely with the Federal Ministry of Education and the World Bank to satisfy the Programme-for-Results requirements and unlock additional resources.”

A representative of the World Bank, Mr. Shin Nomura, a Senior Economist and Task Team Leader for HOPE, confirmed the programme became effective in March 2026. Nomura urged states to complete all preparatory requirements to enable timely disbursement of funds.

Alausa also announced the deployment of the National Education Data Infrastructure (NEDI) and the Digitalised Nigeria Education Management Information System (DNEMIS) as part of efforts to shift from assumption-based to evidence-based planning.

He explained that the integrated digital platforms will provide real-time data on learner enrolment, teacher deployment, school infrastructure, and learning outcomes to guide policy, budgeting, and resource allocation.

Alausa urged all states to complete the annual school census on the digitised platform, and commended Kaduna and Borno states for progress in that direction.

He disclosed that the ministry had deployed digital dashboards and smart boards, with analytical support from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

“We must institutionalise reliable education data. This is how we ensure accountability, transparency and better service delivery across the sector,” he said.

Under the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative (NESRI), the minister said the federal government was expanding access to affordable digital learning technologies and teacher support tools from Primary 1 to SSS 3.

He, however, cautioned states against investing solely in expensive smart school infrastructure without provisions for sustainability and maintenance.

Alausa proposed that COSCEN institutionalise quarterly review meetings to promote peer learning, monitor progress, and strengthen collective accountability.

He stressed, “Embrace evidence over assumptions, collaboration over isolation and continuity over fragmented reforms.

“The future prosperity of Nigeria depends on the quality of education we provide today.”

In a keynote address, former aviation minister, Mr. Osita Chidoka, challenged commissioners to build reforms that outlive political administrations through policy continuity, data, and investment in teachers.