The Federal Government has secured $552 million in funding under the HOPE-EDU programme to accelerate basic education reforms and improve learning outcomes across the country.
The funding, co-financed by the World Bank and the Global Partnership for Education, is designed to strengthen foundational learning, expand access to quality basic education, and enhance institutional accountability in participating states.
According to a statement signed by Boriowo Folasade, Director of Press and Public Relations at the Federal Ministry of Education, on Tuesday, the initiative aligns with the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative (NESRI) and supports measurable, transparent, and results-based reforms across the sector.
Speaking on the development, Maruf Tunji Alausa, Minister of Education, described the unlocking of the funds as a landmark achievement in the country’s education transformation journey.
He said the activation of the $552 million facility within 12 months represents the fastest education financing mobilisation of its scale in Nigeria’s history, reflecting strong coordination between federal and sub-national governments as well as a clear reform agenda.
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Alausa noted that the resources would directly support efforts to strengthen foundational literacy and numeracy, widen access to quality schooling, and improve system-wide accountability mechanisms in participating states.
The Minister added that the reform drive is in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to reposition education as a cornerstone of national development and human capital growth.
“The unlocking of the $552 million HOPE-EDU funding in just 12 months represents the fastest activation of education financing of this scale in our history. It reflects clarity of vision, strong intergovernmental coordination, and our unwavering commitment to delivering measurable results for Nigerian children,” the Minister stated.
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The ministry noted that since 2022, federal allocation to education has reportedly increased by over 302 per cent, underscoring the administration’s prioritisation of the sector.
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In the 2026 fiscal year, it said N3.520 trillion was allocated to education, the highest allocation to date alongside increased funding by sub-national governments to address local needs and targeted interventions.
The HOPE for Quality Basic Education for All (HOPE-EDU) programme forms part of the broader HOPE reform framework, which also includes interventions in governance and primary health care aimed at improving public financial management, service delivery, efficiency, and transparency in key social sectors.
“The HOPE for Quality Basic Education for All (HOPE-EDU) programme is a strategic, results-driven initiative co-financed by the World Bank and the Global Partnership for Education to improve foundational learning outcomes, expand equitable access to quality basic education, and strengthen institutional capacity and accountability across participating states.
“As a core component of the broader HOPE reform framework, HOPE-EDU complements HOPE-Governance and HOPE-Primary Health Care in tackling systemic challenges in policy development, public financial management, governance, and service delivery, with the overall aim of promoting efficiency, transparency, and improved performance in key social sectors,” the statement read
The Federal Ministry of Education said it remains committed to ensuring that the new investment translates into tangible improvements in teacher effectiveness, equitable access to education, learning outcomes, and overall system performance, as Nigeria works toward building a more competitive, knowledge-driven economy.
