The Committee of States’ Commissioners of Education in Nigeria (COSCEN), in partnership with the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) and the Federal Ministry of Education, will convene education stakeholders in Abuja in December to discuss reforms aimed at addressing Nigeria’s learning crisis, funding constraints and skills gap.
The two-day Nigeria Education Forum (NEF) 2026 is expected to bring together state governors, education ministers and commissioners, development partners, researchers and other stakeholders to develop practical measures for improving learning outcomes and strengthening the competitiveness of Nigerian educational institutions.
The forum’s theme is “Education Import: Transforming Nigeria’s Education System for Local Impact and Global Competitiveness.”
According to a statement issued by the NEF 2026 Media Unit, the meeting comes amid concerns about weak foundational learning, unequal access to quality education, inadequate financing and the limited alignment between graduates’ qualifications and labour market needs.
The organisers said Nigeria’s youthful population presents an opportunity for economic growth but warned that the country would struggle to benefit from it unless children and young people acquire the knowledge and skills needed for further education, employment and entrepreneurship.
Citing the World Bank’s Human Capital Index, the statement said a child born in Nigeria today is expected to achieve about 37 per cent of their potential productivity, compared with approximately 45 per cent across sub-Saharan Africa.
It also highlighted the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on existing learning deficiencies, particularly in literacy and numeracy, warning that weak foundational skills could affect pupils’ progress through school and their future employment prospects.
With an estimated 3.5 million people entering Nigeria’s labour force annually, the forum will examine how curricula, teaching methods and technical and vocational education can better prepare learners for changing workplace demands.
Discussions are expected to cover digital and technical skills, analytical thinking, problem-solving and the implications of artificial intelligence and automation for education and employment.
Another major issue on the agenda is Nigerians’ spending on overseas education. The organisers cited reports based on Central Bank of Nigeria data estimating that expenditure on foreign education reached about $1.39bn in the first half of 2025, while spending between 2020 and mid-2025 was estimated at $11.1bn.
The forum will consider how local institutions can improve teaching, research, facilities and student experience to attract and retain more learners. The organisers said the aim was not to discourage international education but to strengthen domestic capacity through academic partnerships, joint research and collaboration with Nigerians in the diaspora.
The programme will focus on five areas: education quality, skills and employability; research, innovation and global academic visibility; education financing and sustainability; inclusion and human capital development; and governance and system strengthening.
Participants will discuss reforms across basic and secondary education, technical and vocational education and training, higher education, informal learning and lifelong learning.
Research and innovation will feature prominently, including proposals to improve research funding and help universities translate academic work into practical solutions, products and services.
On financing, the forum is expected to examine how public funding can be complemented by private investment, public-private partnerships and domestic resource mobilisation. Discussions will also address how improved allocation, monitoring and accountability can ensure that spending produces measurable improvements in infrastructure, teaching and learning.
The organisers said inclusion would be another priority, with stakeholders expected to consider barriers linked to poverty, gender, disability, insecurity and geographical location. Particular attention will be given to girls, vulnerable learners and children in underserved and conflict-affected communities.
The governance discussions will focus on improving coordination among government agencies, strengthening institutional leadership, making better use of reliable education data and establishing transparent mechanisms for tracking policy implementation.
State governments are expected to play a central role in aligning local priorities with national education objectives and sharing approaches that have improved service delivery.
The organisers said the forum was expected to produce policy commitments from federal and state authorities, encourage stronger public-private and international partnerships, and identify successful education initiatives that could be expanded.
They also stressed the need for accountability mechanisms to monitor progress and assess the impact of agreed reforms.
The organisers acknowledged that the forum’s effectiveness would depend on whether its recommendations lead to sustained investment and implementation beyond the two-day meeting.
The December gathering is intended to provide a platform for stakeholders to agree on practical steps to improve learning outcomes, strengthen Nigerian institutions and equip learners with skills for opportunities in the domestic and global economy.
