Regina Otokpa 
The Federal Ministry of Education has unveiled two strategic knowledge products—“State of Girl-Child Education in Ten States of Nigeria” and “Analysis of State-Level Financing of Girl-Child Education in Nigeria”—as part of efforts to deliver inclusive, equitable, and quality education for girls across the country.
Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, who spoke during a one-day dissemination session on “Strengthening Girls’ Education in Nigeria” in Abuja, also announced plans for a new initiative targeted at getting more out-of-school girls back into the classroom.
“These two knowledge products are strategic investments and tools designed to help us collectively,” she said. “They will help us understand where we are, what must change, and how we must act to ensure every Nigerian girl can access, remain in, and thrive through education.”
Ahmad explained that the Girls’ Education Performance Assessment Report provides a comprehensive review of progress at both federal and state levels. She said it highlights policies that have improved enrollment, retention, and learning outcomes for girls, often through community engagement and donor support.
She also noted that the Girls’ Education Financing report examines how public and private resources are allocated, disbursed, and utilized, stressing the importance of gender-responsive budgeting and improved coordination between federal, state, and local governments.
“It is imperative that we move toward gender-responsive budgeting, efficient resource utilization, and stronger coordination among all tiers of government,” she said.
The Minister urged stakeholders not to let the reports “die by dust on shelves,” but to translate them into effective policies, realistic budgets, and actionable partnerships that can drive systemic change.
Speaking virtually, Chief Executive of the Malala Fund, Nabila Aguele, reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to Nigeria’s education sector. She urged policymakers to turn the new evidence into concrete and gender-responsive reforms.
“Today’s event marks a significant step forward in our collective effort to advance girls’ education in Nigeria,” Aguele said. “The knowledge products being shared are not just reports; they are tools for action—tools that give us the evidence we need to make more informed, equitable, and impactful decisions for Nigeria’s girls and, ultimately, for all of us.”
Presenting key findings from the State of Girl-Child Education in 10 States, Mr. Sunkanmi Adefadoju, Monitoring and Evaluation Consultant at System Strategy and Policy Lab (SSPL), called for improvements in school infrastructure and safety for girls. He also highlighted wide disparities in education budget allocations across states.
“Jigawa (32%), Kano (31%), and Kaduna (26%) demonstrate strong fiscal commitment, while Akwa Ibom (6%), Sokoto (8%), and Gombe (9.8%) allocate minimal shares to education,” he revealed.
He further noted that most states lack dedicated budget lines for girls’ education, making interventions inconsistent. For instance, while Borno supports girls with incentives in all junior secondary schools and provides cash transfers in 90 percent of them, Sokoto and Jigawa have no targeted programmes. Akwa Ibom, despite spending just 6 percent on education, has no funds specifically allocated for girls.
He recommended scaling up incentives and cash transfers by institutionalising scholarships and school feeding programmes, as well as strengthening budgeting and emergency preparedness across states.
Founder and CEO of SSPL, Murtala Mohammed, also called for increased budgetary allocation to education. He noted that while global best practices recommend spending at least 4 percent of national budgets on education, Nigeria currently allocates just 1.9 percent.
