Education funding: South-west states fail to meet benchmarks

All six states in Nigeria’s South-west region have fallen short of Nigeria’s recommended education funding benchmark in their 2026 budgets, a PREMIUM TIMES analysis has shown, raising concerns about sectoral priorities.

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The Federal Ministry of Education, through the National Policy on Education, prescribes that at least 26 per cent of annual budgets should be allocated to education by both federal and subnational governments. However, none of the states in the South-west came close to the threshold.

Ekiti, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Osun and Oyo are the states in the South-west. The states posted education allocations ranging from 5.3 per cent to 16.4 per cent in their 2026 approved budgets.

Although these figures remain below the benchmark, the states still outperformed their counterparts in the South-south, where no state, except Delta, allocated up to 10 per cent to education in the same period.

Lagos’ education budget is the lowest in the region

In Lagos, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu approved N234.6 billion for education out of the state’s N4.4 trillion 2026 budget, representing 5.3 per cent, the lowest in the region.

This marks a decline from 2025, when the state allocated 6.1 per cent of its N3.37 trillion budget to the sector. Of the N206.66 billion approved in 2025, N181.13 billion was spent, reflecting an 87.7 per cent performance.

Key education projects in 2026 include N9.05 billion for the construction and rehabilitation of public schools and N5.78 billion for the construction of 18 classrooms and toilets.

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Between January and September 2025, Lagos reported spending N9.37 billion on the construction and rehabilitation of public schools and N5.99 billion on the building of 18 classrooms and toilets.

The state generated N3.03 trillion in revenue in 2025.

Ekiti, Ogun, and Oyo lead the pack

In Ekiti, Governor Biodun Oyebanji allocated N67.44 billion to education in 2026, representing 16.2 per cent of the N415.57 billion budget. This is a drop from 17.8 per cent in 2025 when the state spent N68.99 billion out of a N70.88 billion allocation, achieving a 97.3 per cent budget performance rate.

A notable project in 2026 is the N3.13 billion provision for 9,000 chairs and tables for public nursery schools. Between January and September 2025, N17.15 million was spent to supply 600 chairs in Ilejemeje Local Government Area. Another 600 chairs have again been approved for 2026.

Ekiti recorded N439.69 billion in revenue in 2025, exceeding its budget by N41.36 billion.

In Ogun, Governor Dapo Abiodun budgeted N271.6 billion for education in 2026, accounting for 16.3 per cent of the N1.67 trillion total budget. This represents an improvement from 14 per cent in 2025. However, budget performance was weaker, with only N83.12 billion spent out of N146.55 billion, a 56.7 per cent implementation rate.

The state’s key project in 2026 includes N11.11 billion for the construction of classroom blocks in 10 primary schools. Ogun reported revenue of N611.02 billion in 2025.

Oyo State, under Governor Seyi Makinde, posted the highest education allocation in the region at 16.4 per cent, with N145.97 billion set aside from its N892.09 billion 2026 budget. Its flagship education project is the N13 billion rehabilitation of 100 public secondary schools.

In 2025, Oyo allocated 15.2 per cent to education and released N91.28 billion, representing 61 per cent of the approved N149.6 billion. The state recorded N711.06 billion in revenue.

Moderate commitments in Ondo, Osun

In Ondo, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa allocated N64.57 billion to education in 2026, representing 12.3 per cent of the N524.4 billion budget. This is slightly below its 13.2 per cent allocation in 2025, when it achieved an 86 per cent performance rate by spending N55.41 billion.

Its major education project in 2026 is the N7.11 billion construction and rehabilitation of 500 basic schools, as well as other Universal Basic Education Commission programmes. The state generated N551.54 billion in revenue in 2025, exceeding projections by 12.6 per cent.

In Osun, Governor Ademola Adeleke approved N87.17 billion for education in 2026, accounting for 12 per cent of the N723.45 billion budget. In 2025, the state allocated 13.5 per cent but spent only 73.2 per cent of the N57.54 billion approved.

The largest project is the N1.98 billion construction of an Early Childhood Education building at Osun State College of Education, Ila-Orangun. The state recorded N381.81 billion in revenue in 2025.