​Minister of Education Tunji Alausa

The Federal Government has unveiled a $552 million HOPE for Quality Basic Education for All programme aimed at accelerating reforms in Nigeria’s basic education sector.

This was contained in a statement issued on Tuesday in Abuja by Boriowo Folasade, Director of Press and Public Relations at the Federal Ministry of Education.

According to the statement, the initiative, facilitated by the ministry, is designed to improve foundational learning, expand access to quality basic education and strengthen education systems across participating states.

Boriowo quoted the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, as saying that the programme aligns with the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative and is structured to promote measurable, transparent and results-based reforms.

He described the development as a defining moment in Nigeria’s education transformation, noting that the activation of the funding marked a record in the country’s education financing.

“The unlocking of the $552 million HOPE-EDU funding in just 12 months represents the fastest activation of education financing of this scale in our history.

“It reflects clarity of vision, strong intergovernmental coordination, and our unwavering commitment to delivering measurable results for Nigerian children,” Alausa said.

He further disclosed that federal allocation to the education sector had increased by more than 302 per cent since 2022, reflecting the government’s prioritisation of human capital development.

According to him, N3.520 trillion was allocated to the sector in the 2026 fiscal year, describing it as the highest allocation to date.

The minister added that the federal allocation is complemented by increased funding at the sub-national level to address local priorities and targeted interventions.

“Under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu, we are demonstrating that reform can be decisive, accountable and impactful.

“These resources will directly strengthen foundational learning, expand access and reinforce system-wide accountability across participating states,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the HOPE-EDU programme is co-financed by the World Bank and the Global Partnership for Education.

The initiative is expected to improve foundational learning outcomes, expand equitable access to quality basic education and strengthen institutional capacity and accountability across participating states.