Nigeria, Italy Strengthen Partnership to Mobilise $5bn for Global Education Financing
Nigeria, Italy Strengthen Partnership to Mobilise $5bn for Global Education Financing
Nigeria, Italy Strengthen Partnership to Mobilise $5bn for Global Education Financing
Nigeria and Italy have strengthened their collaboration to advance the proposed Global Partnership for Education (GPE) financing campaign, which aims to mobilise $5 billion to support education financing worldwide.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu said the GPE’s vision aligns with his administration’s education agenda, which focuses on improving learning outcomes through expanded access to education and capacity-building for teachers.
The President made this known on Wednesday in a video message at the Multiply Possibility High-Level Event, themed “A New Era for Education Financing,” held in New York on the sidelines of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly.
Tinubu commended stakeholders in the Global Partnership for Education for their efforts to accelerate education financing globally.
Representing the President at the event, Vice President Kashim Shettima described education as a strategic investment in Nigeria’s economic future, national productivity and the prosperity and stability of its citizens.
He stressed that education should not be treated as a marginal expenditure but as a critical component of the country’s development agenda.
Shettima said the Tinubu administration had increased resources devoted to education since assuming office in 2023, while pursuing reforms to strengthen basic education financing, expand foundational learning and improve access to tertiary and technical education.
He also highlighted the role of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) in widening access to higher education and strengthening the connection between education, skills, employment and enterprise.
The Vice President said the Federal Government was exploring additional lawful domestic financing sources beyond traditional budgetary allocations.
He disclosed that Tinubu had directed that funds recovered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, once legally cleared and free from litigation, be channelled to NELFUND.
Shettima added that the Federal Executive Council had recently approved consideration of unclaimed dividends and dormant funds for the same purpose, subject to applicable legal requirements.
According to him, the initiative reflects Nigeria’s commitment to mobilising responsible and lawful domestic resources to support education.
The Vice President also highlighted Nigeria’s partnership with the World Bank and GPE through the HOPE-EDU programme, which is expected to reach approximately 29 million children and 500,000 teachers across the country.
He said the proposed $5 billion GPE financing campaign would help unlock additional resources for education in partner countries, stressing that domestic funding must remain the foundation of education financing, complemented by development assistance, concessional finance, philanthropy and innovative funding mechanisms.
Shettima noted that Nigeria’s growing young population could become a major economic asset if young people had access to quality education, relevant skills and meaningful opportunities.
He called for stronger multilateral cooperation to ensure that limited international resources attract greater investment in education.
The Vice President urged stakeholders to make the campaign more than a fundraising exercise, describing it as an opportunity to renew commitments to human capital development through national leadership, international partnerships and responsible financing.
He also expressed Nigeria’s appreciation to the Italian Government and GPE for supporting the campaign, noting that Nigeria’s participation was intended to demonstrate its own commitment to investing in education.
Earlier, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, in a video presentation, commended Tinubu’s leadership and Nigeria’s determination to improve educational outcomes across all levels.
She urged partners in the global alliance to strengthen their commitment to reversing the decline in education support in developing countries.
United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed thanked partners for their commitment to improving education financing in developing countries, stressing that progress must begin with the choices governments make.
She called on international financial institutions to support committed countries in creating the fiscal space needed to improve education outcomes, particularly through teacher training and capacity development.
The Chair of the GPE Board of Directors, Dr Jakaya Kikwete, also emphasised the importance of accelerating education financing, noting that education remains central to human rights, security and peace.
He said the GPE campaign was driven by declining development assistance for education and the widening financing gap facing countries seeking to improve learning outcomes.
Meanwhile, girls’ education activist Malala Yousafzai called for stronger collaboration in mobilising ideas and resources, saying global partnerships could deliver more impactful results than isolated national interventions.
She urged governments and multilateral organisations to increase investment in gender equality in education and address the specific needs of girls, particularly in developing countries.
Governments and donors at the event announced contributions aimed at supporting the education of at least 370 million children worldwide, with the Italian Government pledging €50 million for GPE programmes and interventions.
Nigeria, Italy Strengthen Partnership to Mobilise $5bn for Global Education Financing
