Security, Increased Budget, Student Support, Value Management, Top Stakeholders’ Expectations for 2026

With the dawn of a new year, stakeholders have called on the government and the ministry of education to draw lessons from past experiences and take the necessary measures to ensure the smooth running of the education sector in 2026. Uchechukwu Nnaike and Funmi Ogundare report

The past year was marked by several challenges, especially insecurity, which disrupted academic activities in some states. Following the mass abductions of schoolchildren in Kebbi and Niger States in November, the federal government ordered the immediate shutdown of 47 Federal Unity Colleges in the affected regions. Proprietors of private schools in some states also shut their schools for security reasons. Upon resumption, the affected schools will conduct the first-term exams before the new term begins.

It is therefore important for the government to prioritise the security of schools and other educational institutions to prevent incidents that disrupt learning.

Experts have called for the implementation of localised versions of the Safe Schools Plan, especially in insecure areas, with funding for vigilance, counselling and secure perimeters. Stakeholders also expect the government to resolve pending issues with labour unions to ensure a hitch-free academic calendar.

The government appeared ready to resolve the lingering face-off with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) with the signing of an agreement on December 23. Part of the agreement is a 40 per cent increase in lecturers’ salaries, and that lecturers in professorial cadres will be eligible to receive a pension equivalent to their annual salary at the retirement age of 70.

Another issue of concern is the increasing number of out-of-school children in the country. Years of insecurity in the north east and other parts, poverty and other cultural practices have led to an alarming increase in the number of out-of-school children in Nigeria. According to UNICEF data, approximately 10.2 million are primary-age children, and 8.1 million are secondary-age children.

Experts argue that adequate security in and around schools, and across the country, in addition to other measures, will greatly reduce the number of out-of-school children and help the country emerge from the current learning crisis.

In his projection for the sector, Vice-Chancellor of Babcock University, Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State, Prof. Afolarin Ojewole, called on the federal government to significantly increase funding for the sector in 2026.

He warned that continued underinvestment could further weaken research capacity, infrastructure and access to quality learning.

He stated that the federal government must put its money where its mouth is by raising the education budget beyond the ₦3.52 trillion allocated in 2025. He argued that, with improved external reserves projected, education funding should be prioritised, particularly for research and infrastructure.

He noted that Nigeria’s education budget has remained between seven and nine per cent of total federal expenditure in recent years, far below the 15 to 20 per cent benchmark recommended by UNESCO and the World Bank.

Describing the downward funding trend since 2015 as appalling, he said it must be urgently reversed from 2026.

Ojewole also called for reforms in curriculum delivery, saying, “stronger integration of 21st-century skills, critical thinking and vocational training must align with Nigeria’s education system with global trends and labour market needs”.

While commending the federal government for the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), which has disbursed over ₦116 billion to more than 624,000 students as of October 2025, the VC said that the scheme should be expanded.

He stressed that students in private universities should be allowed to benefit more significantly from the loan programme to ensure equity and broaden access. Similarly, he commended the over ₦700 billion allocated to the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) in 2025, but condemned what he described as the discrimination against private universities.

“Excluding such institutions from benefiting from TETFund, funded from the nation’s commonwealth, should be reviewed and corrected beginning in 2026,” stated Ojewole.

Regarding research and innovation, Ojewole urged the federal government to strengthen collaboration with international universities and institutions, supported by clear and enabling policies.  He emphasised that Nigeria must deliberately fund university research, drawing parallels with developed countries such as the United States, where the federal government remains the largest investor in basic research, particularly in life sciences and engineering.

The vice-chancellor also stressed the need to scale up virtual learning, especially at the university level, to expand access and reduce costs. He noted that only about 30 to 35 per cent of Nigerian university applicants secure admission annually, leaving over 60 per cent excluded due to limited institutional capacity despite meeting entry requirements.

Ojewole further identified insecurity as one of the most serious threats to education in Nigeria, citing loss of lives, destruction of infrastructure, disruption of academic calendars and long-term psychological trauma for students and staff,  urging the federal government to seek greater foreign assistance and cooperation to address insurgency and violence.

He warned, “No peace means no progress for the education sector. Without bold policy shifts, increased funding and improved security, Nigeria risks undermining its human capital development and long-term national growth.”

Speaking with THISDAY, the Executive Secretary of Africa Brands Review (ABR), Joseph Ayodele, projected 2026 as a defining year for Nigeria’s education sector, marked by a decisive shift from funding-focused reforms to value management, with greater emphasis on learning outcomes, accountability and measurable impact.

Ayodele said while 2025 was largely devoted to securing funding and stabilising the system, the focus in 2026 would be on ensuring that every naira invested in education delivers tangible results, particularly in addressing Nigeria’s deep literacy and numeracy crisis.

He noted that current data show literacy and numeracy levels in basic schools at about 25 per cent, translating into a nationwide learning poverty of roughly 74 to 75 per cent.

“The 2026 roadmap will prioritise data-driven oversight through digital attendance and performance monitoring systems to track student and teacher progress in real time,” said Ayodele.

He added that stricter professional standards would be enforced, including a full transition to employing only Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN)-certified teachers, alongside the regularisation of casual staff and aggressive recruitment to improve student/teacher ratios.

Ayodele also reiterated his organisation’s plans for intensive retraining of school leaders and teachers to modernise instructional delivery and institutional management, including capacity-building in school leadership and brand equity management.

According to him, school safety and student well-being would be strengthened through expanded anti-bullying initiatives, with the third national week of action against bullying and violence in schools scheduled for November 9 to 13, 2026.

These projections, the executive secretary noted, are anchored on reforms already underway, driven by what he described as the ‘Alausa Effect’, under the leadership of the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa.

He said, “Alausa’s hands-on administrative style has transformed federal/state collaboration, with unprecedented levels of engagement and policy directives ensuring that national education policies are actively implemented across the 36 states.”

He further pointed to the resolution of the long-standing tertiary education crisis as a critical foundation for the 2026 outlook.

Ayodele said a landmark agreement reached with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) in 2025 has already taken effect from January 1, effectively ending the era of recurrent strikes. The agreement provides for a 40 per cent salary increase for university staff, the establishment of a National Research Council with statutory funding of one per cent of GDP, full institutional autonomy for universities, and improved retirement benefits for professors to curb brain drain.

He acknowledged that the reforms were achieved amid severe fiscal headwinds, as only about 17.7 per cent of the 2025 education capital budget had been released by the third quarter. Despite this, he said the education ministry maintained momentum through strategic prioritisation of key projects, while operational funding saw notable improvements, including timely allocations to federal unity colleges.

He also welcomed recent policy and legal developments enabling direct funding to Local Government Education Authorities (LGEAs) following an October 2025 Federal High Court ruling. He described it as a major boost for the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and primary school infrastructure nationwide.

Looking at the long-term impact, Ayodele said the reforms represent a deliberate investment in Nigeria’s future human capital and longevity.

“By improving education quality and outcomes, the country could build the foundation for a more literate, skilled and competitive population.

“The challenge before us in 2026 is to ensure that every naira spent translates into a more capable Nigerian child and a stronger nation,” Ayodele said.