Nigeria Launches $552 Million World Bank Backed Education Programme

Nigeria has launched a $552 million basic education programme backed by the World Bank and the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), as the government steps up efforts to improve learning outcomes in the country.

President Bola Tinubu unveiled the initiative, known as HOPE-EDU, in Abuja, describing education as the foundation of Nigeria’s long-term economic growth and human capital development. The programme is expected to directly benefit about 29 million children, more than 500,000 teachers, 65,000 public schools and 10,000 non-formal learning centres across the country.

The project is jointly financed by the World Bank and the Global Partnership for Education and forms part of the federal government’s broader Human Capital Opportunities for Prosperity and Equity (HOPE) agenda. It aims to improve literacy and numeracy, strengthen teacher capacity, modernise school infrastructure and enhance governance across Nigeria’s basic education system.

Officials said the programme will support reforms to school management, improve accountability and strengthen data systems to enable more effective planning and monitoring of education outcomes. It will also prioritise greater access to education for vulnerable and out-of-school children, particularly in underserved communities.

Nigeria has one of the world’s largest populations of out-of-school children, with insecurity, poverty, inadequate infrastructure and teacher shortages continuing to undermine access to quality education in many parts of the country. The government believes sustained investment in basic education is critical to improving productivity, reducing poverty and supporting long-term economic development.

The HOPE-EDU programme complements wider reforms being implemented under the World Bank-backed HOPE initiative, which seeks to strengthen governance and improve service delivery in education, healthcare and other critical sectors. Authorities say participating states will receive financial and technical support tied to measurable improvements in education performance.

The World Bank has identified education as a key pillar of Nigeria’s human capital development strategy, arguing that improving learning outcomes is essential to raising incomes, creating jobs and boosting economic competitiveness. The latest programme also aligns with the country’s efforts to address persistent disparities in education access between urban and rural communities.

The launch marks one of Nigeria’s largest recent investments in basic education and reflects growing collaboration between the government and international development partners to tackle longstanding challenges in the sector. If successfully implemented, the programme is expected to strengthen the quality of teaching, improve school enrolment and equip millions of young Nigerians with the skills needed to participate more effectively in the country’s future economy.

Santu Mofokeng (South Africa)

Most Famous Photo: Images from his series “Chasing Shadows” (documenting spiritual practices in South Africa) or his earlier work from “Train Church.”

Short Bio: Santu Mofokeng (1956-2020) was a highly respected South African photographer known for his profound explorations of identity, memory, and landscape. His work often delved into the spiritual and cultural lives of black South Africans, offering a counter-narrative to the dominant images of poverty and struggle often associated with the apartheid era.

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