Alausa: Education reforms must be data-driven, backed by FG, States
By Uji A Iliyasu, Abuja
The Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Olatunji Alausa, has said Nigeria’s education reforms can only succeed through closer collaboration between the Federal and State Governments and a decisive shift towards data-driven decision-making.
Speaking on Monday at the opening of a Five-Day Executive Retreat for Commissioners of Education, organised by the Committee of States’ Commissioners of Education (COSCEN) in Abuja, Dr Alausa described education as Nigeria’s most powerful tool for economic growth, national security and sustainable development, and said President Bola Tinubu had placed it at the heart of the Renewed Hope Agenda.
He announced the deployment of the National Education Data Infrastructure (NEDI) and the Digitalised Nigeria Education Management Information System (DNEMIS), integrated platforms designed to provide real-time data on enrolment, teacher deployment, infrastructure and learning outcomes to guide planning and resource allocation.
The Minister urged states to complete their Annual School Census on the new platform, commending Kaduna and Borno for early progress, and called on Commissioners to fast-track access to the World Bank-backed HOPE Education Programme, which offers $552 million in performance-based financing.
He noted that many states had yet to sign Subsidiary Loan Agreements or meet reporting requirements needed to unlock funds.
Dr Alausa proposed that COSCEN institutionalise quarterly review meetings to sustain reform momentum, and cautioned against over-investing in costly “smart school” infrastructure without providing for maintenance and sustainability.
Delivering a keynote address, former Aviation Minister Osita Chidoka urged Commissioners to build reforms that outlast political administrations, stressing continuity, reliable data and teacher development.
Representing the World Bank Country Director, Senior Economist Shin Nomura reaffirmed the Bank’s commitment to the HOPE programme, which took effect in March 2026, and urged states to complete outstanding requirements to access funding promptly.