2026 Budget: Education ministry proposes N2.4trn, targets teacher shortage, infrastructure gaps

The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, has proposed a N2.4 trillion budget for the Ministry of Education for the 2026 fiscal year, with a major focus on addressing teacher shortages, infrastructure deficits, and skills development.

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Mr Alausa presented the proposal while defending the ministry’s 2026 budget before the National Assembly’s Joint Committees on Education earlier this week.

Mr Alausa said the budget is guided by the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative (NESRI), which focuses on areas including Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET); Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Medical sciences (STEMM); efforts to integrate out-of-school children into formal education; and expansion of girl-child education and access to literacy.

He said the government is also prioritising investment in data systems and digitisation, as well as enhancing teacher development and professionalism.

“Our budget thrust for 2026 is anchored on ensuring that out-of-school children return to school, making teaching and learning safer, and strengthening tertiary institutions to produce skilled manpower for national development,” he said.

Infrastructure deficits

Mr Alausa noted that Nigeria’s 13,921 public secondary schools face severe infrastructure deficits, including many Unity Colleges, some of which are over 50 years old.

He emphasised the importance of strengthening basic and secondary education under the 9-3-4 system.

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He acknowledged the persistent challenges facing basic education, including insecurity, dilapidated infrastructure, inadequate funding, and weak research linkages.

To address these challenges, the minister appealed for sustained legislative support.

“Our accomplishments were made possible through prudent financial management and the support of your esteemed Committees. We solicit your continued guidance to enable the Ministry to achieve greater heights and leave a sustainable legacy by the end of the 2026 financial year,” he said.

Budget allocation and trends

A review of Mr Alausa’s presentation shows that the ministry allocates N966.9 billion or 40.3 per cent of the total budget to universities, N633.2 billion or 26.4 per cent to parastatals, N256 billion or 10.7 per cent to polytechnics, N125.9 billion or 5.2 per cent to colleges of education, and N155.3 billion or 6.4 per cent to Unity Colleges.

The education ministry is to receive N257.8 billion – 10.7 per cent –, while the UNESCO Paris contribution is projected at N3.36 billion, equivalent to 0.1 per cent.

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The education sector allocations have risen in recent years, from N1.59 trillion in 2024 to N2.59 trillion in 2025, with the 2026 proposal slightly lower at N2.39 trillion.

Despite the increases, allocations remain below the 15-20 per cent of national budgets recommended by UNESCO, averaging just 6.54 per cent between 2015 and 2025.

Capital project performance

The ministry reported weak capital budget performance in 2025, with only N19.5 billion disbursed out of N335.2 billion appropriated, representing a 5.8 per cent release rate, down from 32.4 per cent in 2024.

It added that Unity Colleges also struggled, with recurrent allocations underperforming, including meal subsidies, which were funded at just 53.4 per cent of the approved funds in 2025.

Internally generated revenue also rose from N194.4 million in 2024 to N233 million in 2025, with a projection of N244.7 million for 2026.