The Federal Government has expressed concern that two geopolitical zones in Nigeria still record the country’s lowest literacy and numeracy rates despite receiving nearly 80 per cent of development partners’ investments in the education sector over the past decade.
Minister of Education Dr Tunji Alausa disclosed this during a stakeholders workshop on the Nigeria Education Data Infrastructure NEDI held in Abuja. According to him, the situation raises serious concerns about the effectiveness of donor funded educational interventions in the affected regions.
Although the minister did not directly mention the zones, data from the National Bureau of Statistics shows that the North West and North East currently rank lowest in literacy levels across the country.
Alausa explained that the government is now focusing on improving education planning through accurate and technology driven data systems. He said the Nigeria Education Data Infrastructure initiative was designed to strengthen data collection analysis storage and dissemination across all levels of education administration.
The minister stated that reliable and harmonised education data would help policymakers identify underserved communities track school performance and ensure fair distribution of resources nationwide. He added that stronger accountability and better coordination among stakeholders are necessary to translate investments into measurable educational progress.
Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development Imaan Sulaiman Ibrahim also described the NEDI initiative as a strategic step toward improving educational planning and inclusive learning opportunities for children and vulnerable groups across Nigeria.
Coordinator of NEDI Dr Abubakar Isah said the initiative would create a unified digital platform capable of eliminating inconsistencies in education data reporting. He noted that collaboration between federal and state governments development agencies and school administrators would be vital to the success of the programme.
The Federal Government believes that improved data systems and evidence based planning will help address long standing educational gaps and improve literacy outcomes nationwide.
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