President Bola Tinubu’s 2026 budget proposal has once again brought education to the forefront of national discourse, with ₦3.52 trillion allocated to the sector. While the figure appears substantial in absolute terms, a deeper examination raises critical questions about whether the allocation is sufficient to address the deep-rooted and multifaceted crises confronting Nigeria’s education system.
Nigeria’s education sector is burdened by decades of underfunding, policy inconsistencies, infrastructural decay, and industrial unrest. Public primary and secondary schools across the country struggle with overcrowded classrooms, dilapidated buildings, lack of instructional materials, and acute teacher shortages. At the tertiary level, universities and polytechnics are grappling with obsolete facilities, inadequate research funding, and persistent strikes that disrupt academic calendars.
Although the ₦3.52 trillion allocation represents an increase compared to some previous years, it still falls short of the UNESCO recommendation that countries allocate at least 15–20 per cent of their national budgets to education. In percentage terms, Nigeria’s education budget remains significantly below this benchmark, reinforcing concerns that education continues to be treated as a secondary priority rather than a strategic investment.
One of the most visible crises is infrastructure decay. Many public schools, particularly in rural and peri-urban areas, operate in unsafe environments with leaking roofs, broken furniture, and inadequate sanitation facilities. Without massive capital investment targeted specifically at school rehabilitation and construction, a significant portion of learners will continue to study under conditions that undermine learning outcomes and student safety.
Teacher welfare remains another unresolved issue. Poor remuneration, delayed salaries, and limited professional development opportunities have weakened morale across all levels of education. The budget does not clearly outline how teacher recruitment, training, and retention will be sustainably addressed, raising fears that the sector may continue to lose skilled educators to other professions or foreign systems.
At the tertiary level, the introduction of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund has been presented as a major intervention aimed at improving access. While the initiative has supported hundreds of thousands of students, it does not tackle the root problems of underfunded institutions, outdated laboratories, overcrowded lecture halls, and insufficient hostel accommodation. Access without quality risks producing graduates ill-prepared for the demands of the modern economy.
Research and innovation funding, which are critical for national development, also remain marginal. Nigerian universities are expected to drive technological advancement and policy-relevant research, yet funding for research grants, laboratories, and academic journals remains inadequate. The 2026 budget does not provide a clear roadmap for positioning Nigerian institutions as competitive knowledge hubs in Africa or globally.
The crisis of out-of-school children further exposes the limitations of the allocation. Nigeria still has one of the highest numbers of out-of-school children in the world, driven by poverty, insecurity, cultural barriers, and weak enforcement of compulsory education laws. Without targeted funding for basic education, school feeding programmes, and community-based interventions, the problem is unlikely to abate.
Security challenges also intersect dangerously with education. In many parts of the country, schools have been shut down due to kidnappings, banditry, and insurgency. While the broader budget prioritises security, there is limited clarity on how education-specific security needs such as safe school initiatives and trauma support for affected learners will be funded and implemented.
Another major concern is inflation and currency depreciation, which continue to erode the real value of budgetary allocations. With rising costs of construction materials, equipment, and imported learning resources, ₦3.52 trillion in 2026 may have significantly less purchasing power than similar allocations in previous years, further limiting its impact.
The allocation also raises questions about equity and regional balance. Historically, funding distribution has favoured certain institutions and regions, leaving others perpetually disadvantaged. Without transparent criteria and strict monitoring, increased funding risks reinforcing existing inequalities within the education system.
Budget implementation remains a persistent weakness. Even when funds are allocated, bureaucratic delays, mismanagement, and corruption often prevent resources from reaching schools and classrooms. Stakeholders argue that without strong accountability mechanisms, increased funding alone will not translate into measurable improvements.
Education experts have also criticised the absence of a clear long-term reform framework tied to the budget. Sustainable transformation requires alignment between funding, curriculum reform, teacher development, digital learning, and labour market needs. The 2026 budget, critics argue, appears more reactive than strategic.
Students and parents, already burdened by rising tuition fees and living costs, are sceptical about the real-world impact of the allocation. Many fear that institutions will continue to shift financial pressure onto families through increased fees, undermining the promise of affordable and inclusive education.
Labour unions within the education sector have similarly expressed cautious optimism, warning that unresolved issues such as earned allowances, university autonomy, and funding shortfalls could trigger further industrial action if not addressed decisively.
Ultimately, the ₦3.52 trillion allocation reflects intent, but intent alone cannot fix a system in distress. Nigeria’s education crisis is structural, requiring not just increased funding, but smarter spending, stronger governance, and unwavering political commitment.
