The Niger State Government has announced that over half of its 2025 budget will be dedicated to the education and health sectors, reflecting a strong commitment to improving public services.

Governor Mohammed Bago made this known during the distribution of kitchen utensils to boarding schools and classroom furniture at the Educational Resource Centres in Minna.

Represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Abubakar Usman, Bago confirmed that N1.8 billion has been set aside as a matching grant for the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC).

He said, “About half of the 2025 budget will be allocated to education and health. Our administration is dedicated to timely payment of counterpart funds to support educational projects, including renovating 534 schools across the state through our partnership with the World Bank’s AGILE programme.”

Bago also noted plans to invest N1.512 billion in renovating and equipping technical schools in Suleja, stressing the importance of technical and vocational education.

The Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Hadiza Mohammed, praised the distribution of kitchen utensils as a crucial step toward enhancing education.

She revealed that the state operates 43 boarding schools under a direct feeding programme, which will cater to over 12,000 students in the 2024/2025 academic session.

Items distributed include water storage tanks, frying pans, cooking pots, grinding machines, and student food warmers, among other kitchen supplies.