The Federal Government, through the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), has unveiled a $552.18m World Bank-supported education programme targeting 29 million Nigerian children, 500,000 teachers and 65,000 public schools to improve access to quality basic education.
The Human Capital Opportunities for Prosperity and Equity in Education (HOPE-EDU) programme will also cover 10,000 non-formal learning centres and support the construction of 13,000 new classrooms across the country.
UBEC Executive Secretary, Dr Aisha Garba, disclosed this at a two-day meeting with chairmen of State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs) on implementation readiness in Abuja.
According to Garba, the programme became effective on February 27, 2026, and has entered its implementation phase, with funding tied to the achievement of agreed performance targets.
She urged state governments to demonstrate the political will and financial commitment needed to ensure the programme delivers on its objectives.
Garba explained that HOPE-EDU was designed to improve learning outcomes, expand equitable access to basic education and strengthen governance and accountability in the education sector.
She said the initiative builds on the existing Universal Basic Education programme and complements other government interventions in governance and primary healthcare.
The UBEC chief disclosed that the programme’s funding was divided into three major areas: $262.239m for improving education quality, $123.9m for expanding access and $133.611m for strengthening key systems.
She explained that the first component was open to 33 states, with the possibility of extending participation to all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, subject to participation in the HOPE-GOV operations.
The second component targets 15 states with the highest populations of out-of-school children that also meet other eligibility requirements, while the third is open to all 36 states and the FCT.
Garba said the initiative would prioritise better teaching, the provision of essential learning materials and improved academic performance among pupils in participating states.
She added that the programme would promote the Structured Pedagogy Programme to strengthen the teaching of literacy and numeracy in primary schools.
However, she warned that the success of the initiative would depend largely on effective collaboration among state ministries of education, SUBEBs, Local Education Authorities, schools and School-Based Management Committees.
The UBEC executive secretary particularly stressed the importance of adequate budgetary provisions by state governments, noting that several performance indicators required states to allocate funds for programme activities.
She urged SUBEB chairmen to brief their respective state executives on the programme and secure their commitment to its implementation, especially during the preparation of the 2027 budgets.
According to her, many of the deliverables scheduled for the programme’s first year depend on the inclusion of relevant activities and financial allocations in state budgets.
“A lot of the deliverables for Year 1 will require provisions in the states’ 2027 budget,” she said.
Garba explained that the programme, introduced under President Bola Tinubu’s administration with World Bank support, was intended to ensure that every Nigerian child, particularly those in rural and marginalised communities and those currently out of school, had equitable opportunities to access quality education.
She charged SUBEB chairmen to take ownership of the initiative and ensure that their states met the agreed performance targets required for the release of funds.
“The success of HOPE-EDU rests on your shoulders. Let us work together to ensure that no state is left behind,” she said.
Earlier, the HOPE-EDU Programme Manager, Olumayowa Aleshin, presented an overview of the initiative, including its funding structure, implementation targets and key milestones.
The programme’s implementation framework requires participating states to meet specified performance targets and verification requirements before they can receive corresponding disbursements.
The initiative is expected to strengthen teaching and learning, expand educational opportunities for underserved communities and improve the systems responsible for delivering basic education across Nigeria.
