FG launches $552m fund to reform basic education

The Federal Government has launched a $552 million fund under the HOPE for Quality Basic Education for All (HOPE-EDU) programme to reform basic education. The Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, launched the programme in Abuja on Tuesday. HOPE-EDU is a results-oriented initiative co-financed by the World Bank and the Global Partnership for Education. […]

The Federal Government has launched a $552 million fund under the HOPE for Quality Basic Education for All (HOPE-EDU) programme to reform basic education.
The Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, launched the programme in Abuja on Tuesday.
HOPE-EDU is a results-oriented initiative co-financed by the World Bank and the Global Partnership for Education.
The programme focuses on improving early-grade learning, promoting equitable access to quality basic education, and strengthening institutional capacity and accountability at state level.
The funding is aimed at improving foundational learning outcomes, widening access to quality basic education, and strengthening education systems across participating states.
It also deepens alignment with the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative (NESRI), which prioritises transparency, results-based financing, and measurable sector-wide reforms.
“The activation of $552 million in HOPE-EDU resources within a 12-month period is the fastest education financing mobilisation of this magnitude Nigeria has achieved.

“It reflects policy clarity, effective coordination across tiers of government, and a firm resolve to deliver real outcomes for learners,” the minister said at the launch.

He said the milestone underscores the reform-driven approach of the administration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu, demonstrating that large-scale public sector reform can be both decisive and accountable.

He added that the funds would directly support foundational learning, improve access, and strengthen accountability frameworks in beneficiary states.

Education sector funding has expanded significantly in recent years.

Since 2022, federal allocations have risen by more than 302 percent.

In the 2026 fiscal year, the sector received N3.520 trillion—the highest allocation on record—alongside increased sub-national investments to address local education priorities and targeted interventions.