Kuni Tyessi in Abuja
The federal government has expressed deep concern that despite attracting nearly 80 per cent of development partners’ investments in Nigeria’s education sector over the last decade, two geopolitical zones still record the country’s worst literacy and numeracy levels.
Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, disclosed this in Abuja during a stakeholders’ workshop on the Nigeria Education Data Infrastructure (NEDI), warning that poor learning outcomes in the affected regions raise serious questions about the effectiveness and sustainability of donor-funded interventions.
Although the minister did not specifically mention the regions, data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) indicate that the North-west and North-east currently rank lowest in literacy rates nationwide.
Alausa said the disturbing trend highlights the urgent need for accurate, harmonised, and technology-driven education data capable of guiding government policies, resource allocation, and intervention strategies.
“As we look at our data, the total amount of development bank financing investment and development partners’ investment, about 80 per cent of those investments in the last 10 years, has gone to two geopolitical zones in the country. And those two zones have the lowest percentage of numeracy and literacy rates in the country,” the minister stated.
He explained that the Nigeria Education Data Infrastructure initiative was conceived to overhaul education data management by strengthening data collection, analysis, storage, and dissemination across all levels of the sector.
According to him, the platform will provide policymakers and stakeholders with credible statistics to monitor progress, identify gaps, and ensure fairer distribution of educational investments nationwide.
Alausa stressed that the federal government remains committed to repositioning the education sector through technology-driven reforms and stronger institutional coordination.
He noted that credible and integrated data systems would enable authorities to identify underserved communities, monitor school performance, and channel resources more efficiently to areas with the greatest educational needs.
The minister also urged development partners, state governments, and stakeholders to align interventions with national priorities and evidence-based strategies to ensure measurable improvements in learning outcomes.
He maintained that stronger accountability frameworks and collaboration mechanisms are critical to translating investments into tangible educational progress across the country.
In her remarks, Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, described the NEDI initiative as a strategic intervention designed to strengthen educational planning, coordination, and service delivery through reliable data systems.
She said education remains a critical pillar for national development, family wellbeing, and social advancement.
Sulaiman-Ibrahim commended the Federal Ministry of Education for convening the workshop, noting that the initiative demonstrates the government’s commitment to building a modern and evidence-based education system capable of delivering inclusive learning opportunities for children and young people.
According to her, reliable education data would significantly boost efforts in child protection, girls’ education, family development, social inclusion, and support for vulnerable groups.
She stressed that integrated data systems would help government agencies and development partners identify gaps, improve coordination, target interventions effectively, and ensure that vulnerable children are not excluded from educational opportunities.
Earlier, the Coordinator of NEDI, Dr. Abubakar Isah, said the workshop was organised to deepen stakeholders’ understanding of the framework and its objectives in transforming education data management in Nigeria.
He explained that the initiative seeks to establish a unified, technology-driven platform capable of eliminating inconsistencies in education data reporting while providing reliable statistics for planning and policy formulation.
According to Isah, the success of the initiative would depend heavily on collaboration among federal and state institutions, development agencies, school administrators, and other critical stakeholders in the education sector.
He added that improved coordination and harmonised data systems would strengthen Nigeria’s capacity to track school enrolment, teacher deployment, infrastructure deficits, and learning outcomes nationwide.