Federal Government and State Governors Unveil Renewed Push to Bridge Funding Gap at National Forum, Vow Innovative Financing for Safer Schools

The Federal Government and state governors have jointly reaffirmed their commitment to urgently address Nigeria’s widening education financing gap and ensure the creation of safer, more secure learning environments across the nation. The joint pledge was the highlight of the maiden edition of the 2025 Nigeria Education Forum, held today, Tuesday, December 9, 2025, in Abuja.

The forum, convened under the theme “Pathways to Sustainable Education Financing: Developing a Synergy Between Town and Gown,” brought together the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, the Federal Ministry of Education, and State Commissioners of Education to forge a unified strategy. Vice President Kashim Shettima, represented by his Special Adviser on General Duties, Aliyu Umar, stressed the critical need for Nigeria to abandon the restrictive “government-only funding” model. Instead, he called for a shift towards a more collaborative, innovative, and resilient financing structure that integrates community, private sector, and multilateral support.

The Vice President pointed to the Federal Government’s sustained investment, noting that allocations to the education sector have risen significantly under the current administration, now projected to hit N3.52 trillion in 2025. He also highlighted the impactful roles of agencies like the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) and the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) in expanding grants and teacher development support across the states.

Beyond financing, the renewed commitment places significant emphasis on ensuring school safety, leveraging initiatives such as the existing Safe Schools Initiative. The Governors’ representatives acknowledged that while the FG is increasing its investment, sustained state-level funding and the implementation of decentralized security architectures are vital to protect students, especially in high-risk zones, and to reverse the trend of children dropping out of school due to insecurity.