By Olateju Oladayo James

Education is often described as the bedrock of national development globally. However, in Nigeria, it doesn’t seem like the case. Year on year, people go through levels of education, graduate and never really become part of national development either because of lack of proper education or lack of opportunities. A country like Nigeria cannot reach its potential economically, technologically and globally with millions of children out of school and no concrete plan to pull them out.

There are so many children especially in the northern part of Nigeria, which is basically spilling into the other regions too, with increasing disconnect and lack of interest in education. These children have no basic skills and can’t do basic arithmetic, can’t write even their own names. How do they contribute to national development? This is very disturbing and alarming. This translates to the insane level of robbery, hooliganism. These kids are usually in traffic to rob people of their goods. Something has to be done.

Are we preparing young Nigerians for the future?
Absolutely not! Nigeria isn’t adequately preparing Nigerians for the future. With the low quality of education, frequent administrative issues and funding crisis, absolutely, we cannot be ready for the nearest future except there is an intense and drastic change.

Access to education
Nigeria has an immense population of children and youths and despite this huge population, there are only very few of these children who have access to education. We also have the class of children who have access to education but of low quality. The problems are in layers. These problems create enormous responsibility for the government. Yet UNICEF report states that about 10.5 million Nigerian children aged 5-14 are not in school, while only about 61 per cent of children aged 6-11 regularly attend primary school.

UNICEF also notes that approximately one in every five of the world’s out-of-school children is in Nigeria. Children not attending schools, quality of classrooms, quality of teachers, quality of education – now that we have a full-fledged security issue, make it worse. It is difficult to encourage people who do not want to go to school with the level of insecurity. In 2026, UNICEF reported 2.8 million children in Borno, Yobe, Adamawa states needed education-in-emergencies support. This means that a working education system in Nigeria requires more than just education policy and classrooms. It requires adequate security, poverty reduction, infrastructure, social protection nets and more.

School attendance and learning
School attendance is a thing in Nigeria, there is an absolute decline in school attendance especially due to the insecurity issues. Recently in Oriire Local Government, Ogbomoso, Oyo State, children and teachers were kidnapped. The effect on attendance will be devastating, and many more in many parts of Kwara State and other parts of the country.

As regards learning, there is a distinction between going to school and actual learning. Recently, according to UNICEF analysis of Nigerian education financing and learning outcomes, it shows just how serious the situation is. In 2022, 49 per cent of Primary 3 learners, 67 percent of Primary 5 learners and 86 percent of Junior Secondary 2 learners did not reach minimum proficiency in mathematics. UNICEF also reports that about 30 percent of learners who reached Junior Secondary 3 in 2021 did not possess foundational reading skills, expected to have been acquired much earlier.

The funding problem
Nigeria basically doesn’t have issues with finances, it’s usually about priorities and mismanagement of funds. Emphasis on corruption across all sectors cannot be over-emphasised. Schools need qualified teachers, functional classrooms, laboratories, libraries, electricity, water, technology, safe environments, sport centers and so on. Higher institutions require research funding and modern equipment to function and exist properly.

According to UNICEF’s September 2026 analysis, government education expenditure as a share of total government spending declined from 9.3 per cent in 2015 to 3.6 percent in 2023. UNICEF notes that this remains below the international benchmark of 15-20 per cent total government expenditure. Aside from funding as an issue, there is no transparency, effective planning, accurate data, and a proper monitoring system capable of ensuring that resources reach the learners and teachers who need them.

Teachers at the centre of the system
A modern education system needs teachers who are properly trained, adequately supported and capable of adapting to changing educational methods. The use of digital learning skills, artificial intelligence without proper internet, terrible electricity makes it difficult to adapt to these modern technologies for both students and teachers. UNICEF has reported significant gaps in digital access and teacher ICT capacity in Nigeria. Its recent education work highlights limited digital infrastructure, unequal internet access and gaps in teachers’ basic ICT skills.

This raises an important question: If Nigerian schools are preparing students for a digital economy and global standards, are they just giving teachers tools to make students pass through classrooms and just get certificates? The way in which the world is moving, with artificial intelligence and expansion of online learning platforms, Nigeria cannot afford to have an education system divided between students who have access to computers, reliable electricity and high-speed internet and students whose schools struggle to provide basic learning materials. The world is moving and Nigeria might be left behind if not careful.

Education and the Nigerian economy
One of the biggest challenges facing the Nigerian education system is whether the graduates produced are fit and ready for the economy and life ahead. Before now, obtaining a university degree was a clear path to success. Now a lot of organisations are more interested in practical skills. Skills like communication, digital competence, adaptability, confidence, good speaking and writing skills. The World Bank’s 2020 human capital analysis illustrates the economic consequences of educational and skill deficits. It estimates that existing deficits in health, education and workforce skills in Nigeria are associated with losses equivalent to 111 per cent of future labour earnings. With the state of unemployment and employability of graduates, it is clear that education is a heavy economic investment.

Businesses will struggle to find managers and organisations will struggle to find workers that would enhance productivity. Universities need to produce graduates capable of research, business, public administration, healthcare and others. There is also an urgent need to fund and prioritise practical and vocational skills to fit into the economy and contribute to national development.

Global education problem
UNESCO’s 2026 Global Education Monitoring report estimates that 273 million children and young people worldwide are out of school, with conflict, population growth and shrinking education budgets among the factors contributing to the problem. The big issue with Nigeria’s education and population is that the massive youthful population affects not only Nigeria but Africa and the world at large. The tremendous population would put Nigeria at a very big advantage globally if the education system works properly.

Where are we heading?
There are a few remarkable progresses in the education sector. It is simply because there are too many negatives than positives that the negatives now overshadow the few positives. The Minister of Education is making a little shift in curriculum, method of teaching and subjects taught and some administrative policies, but overall, we can do a whole lot better.

What need to change
There are multiple changes that have to happen for us to have a productive and competitive education sector that can make Nigerian youths compete globally. Let’s highlight them:

Access must improve particularly for children affected by insecurity, poverty and geographic isolation.

Foundational literacy must become a national priority.

Teachers must be treated as central to education reform. Their training has to match modern demand. The use of modern instruments, working conditions have to be better and respect has to return to teachers.

Funding: There has to be improved funding and more emphasis on accountability.

Revamped Curriculum: The curriculum is old and doesn’t match modern economic realities. Many Nigerian students basically read to pass.

Technical and vocational education must receive more funding and attention.

Technology must be used strategically. Every student should have the opportunity to learn using adequate teaching and learning materials.

Finally, there has to be continued and long-term policies to create a sustainable educational policy.

Politics has to stay aside. Thank you. God bless Nigeria.

James can be reached via: 07054840969 and [email protected]