The Federal Government has raised concerns that despite receiving about 80 per cent of development partners’ investments in the education sector over the past decade, two geopolitical zones in the country still record the lowest literacy and numeracy rates.

Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, stated this yesterday in Abuja during a stakeholders’ workshop on the Nigeria Education Data Infrastructure (NEDI).

Alausa said the trend underscored the urgent need for accurate and reliable education data to guide policy formulation, resource allocation and intervention programmes across the country.

Although he did not mention the regions by name, the minister noted that despite huge investments by donor agencies and development partners, learning outcomes in the affected areas had remained below expectations, raising concerns about the effectiveness and sustainability of the interventions.

“As we look at our data, the total amount of development bank financing and development partners’ investment shows that about 80 per cent of those investments in the last 10 years have gone to two geopolitical zones in the country. Yet, those two zones still have the lowest literacy and numeracy rates in the country,” he said.

The minister explained that the NEDI initiative was designed to strengthen data collection, management and analysis within the education sector to support evidence-based decision-making.

According to him, the platform would help government and stakeholders track progress, identify gaps and ensure that investments in education are distributed more equitably to improve literacy and numeracy outcomes nationwide.

Alausa further stressed that the Federal Government remained committed to reforming the education sector through technology-driven solutions and improved institutional coordination.

He said the availability of credible and harmonised data would enable policymakers to identify underserved communities, monitor school performance and deploy resources more efficiently to areas with the greatest needs.

The minister also called on development partners, state governments and other stakeholders to align their interventions with national priorities and evidence-based strategies.

He maintained that stronger collaboration and accountability mechanisms were necessary to ensure that investments in the sector translate into measurable improvements in learning outcomes and access to quality education across the country.

Data obtained from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed that, as of early 2026, the North-West and North-East geopolitical zones ranked lowest in literacy rates in Nigeria.

In her presentation, the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, described the initiative as a timely intervention aimed at strengthening educational planning, coordination and service delivery through credible and integrated data systems.

She said education remained one of the strongest foundations for national development, family wellbeing and social progress.

Sulaiman-Ibrahim commended the Federal Ministry of Education for convening the workshop, noting that the initiative reflected the government’s commitment to building a modern, evidence-based education system capable of delivering inclusive learning and improved outcomes for children and young people across the country.

According to her, reliable education data would significantly enhance efforts in child protection, family development, girls’ education, social inclusion and support for vulnerable groups.

She stressed that accurate and integrated data systems would enable government and stakeholders to identify gaps, improve coordination, target interventions effectively and ensure that vulnerable children are not left behind.