The Federal Government has intensified its education sector reforms with a strong emphasis on data tracking and large-scale investments, as new figures reveal progress in efforts to tackle Nigeria’s out-of-school children crisis.
Speaking at the 2026 Basic Education in Nigeria Bootcamp in Jos, the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa disclosed that the government is increasingly relying on data-driven systems to identify, track, and reintegrate children into the school system.
According to him, over two million learners have been captured in the ongoing 2025/2026 Annual School Census, while about one million out-of-school children have been mapped for targeted reintegration programmes across the country.
To strengthen this effort, the Ministry is expanding the Digital National Education Management Information System (NEMIS) and rolling out the Learner Identification Number (LIN), both designed to improve real-time learner tracking and policy planning.
On funding interventions, Dr. Alausa revealed that the government has committed over ₦106 billion in Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) matching grants to states for basic education development.
In addition, ₦22 billion has been allocated for teacher training, benefiting approximately 978,000 teachers nationwide, as part of efforts to improve instructional quality and learning outcomes.
Infrastructure upgrades are also ongoing, with more than 10,000 classrooms renovated across the country, while 7.8 million textbooks have been distributed to improve access to learning materials at the basic education level.
The Minister stressed that sustainable reform depends on credible data and coordinated action, noting that identifying every out-of-school child remains central to achieving inclusive education.
The Federal Government reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring equitable access to quality education through sustained investment, strengthened data systems, and nationwide collaboration aimed at closing Nigeria’s learning gaps.
