The Federal Government on Tuesday reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening financing for girls’ education in Nigeria and improving the planning and tracking of education funds to ensure better outcomes for girls nationwide.
Speaking at a high-level policy dialogue organised by the Malala Fund Nigeria on financing the future of Nigerian girls, the Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Doris Uzoka-Anite, said the government remained determined to ensure that education financing translates into measurable results for girls across the country.
The dialogue brought together government officials, development partners, civil society organisations, and education advocates to push for stronger financing and accountability mechanisms aimed at ensuring that every Nigerian girl has access to quality education.
While speaking further, the Minister stressed that the focus must shift from policy commitments to real outcomes, particularly for girls facing poverty, distance, and other barriers to education.
Uzoka-Anite said the dialogue was an opportunity to move from intention to implementation, noting that gender-responsive planning must go beyond policy documents to concrete actions that directly impact girls.
She emphasised the need for transparency and accountability in the education financing system, adding that the government must ensure that resources reach the girls who need them most.
“I stand here as proof that education transforms lives. The decisions taken at the dialogue should create a future where young girls are not only able to dream but are supported with the resources needed to achieve those dreams.”
She also urged participants to work collectively to ensure that no girl is left behind in the country’s education system.
In her goodwill message, Beatrice Eyong of UN Women said Nigeria is at a critical point in its effort to deliver inclusive and equitable education, particularly for adolescent girls who remain the most vulnerable to exclusion.
Eyong said the country still has one of the highest numbers of out-of-school children globally, with girls accounting for the majority.
She noted that millions of girls remain out of school due to poverty, early marriage, and gaps in targeted public spending, stressing that the situation requires urgent and coordinated action backed by strong financing.
“The evidence is clear and compelling, and it calls for urgent, coordinated and well-financed action,” she said.
She also highlighted ongoing efforts to advance Nigeria’s Gender Responsive Planning and Budgeting Policy Framework, noting that the framework would strengthen institutional capacity, improve expenditure tracking, and ensure accountability for results.
According to her, investing in girls’ education is not only a social responsibility but also an economic strategy that will drive national development.
She added that research has shown that targeted investment in adolescent girls can generate significant economic returns, reinforcing the need for government and partners to prioritise education financing.
In her welcome address, the Chief Executive Officer of Malala Fund Nigeria, Nabila Aguele, said Nigeria is not short of ambition when it comes to supporting girls but still faces a major gap in financing.
She said nearly 9.5 million girls in Nigeria are out of school, describing the figure as a reflection of a generation whose potential is at risk.
According to her, the purpose of the dialogue was to ensure that education budgets reflect the reality facing girls, particularly in northern Nigeria, where enrolment and completion rates remain low.
Aguele said while education allocations have increased in recent years, allocation alone does not guarantee results.
She noted that funds that are not released on time, not fully spent, or not properly targeted will not address the challenges facing girls, stressing that gender-responsive budgeting must become a deliberate governance commitment.
She also said the dialogue was designed to bring together policymakers, development partners, and civil society organisations to share evidence, identify what is working, and agree on concrete commitments that will improve access to education for girls across the country.
Delivering the closing call to action, Funom Yakubu of Education as a Vaccine (EVA) urged policymakers to ensure that the discussions at the event translate into real changes in education planning and budgeting.
Yakubu said the country already has the data and the evidence needed to support girls’ education, adding that the real challenge is whether decisions taken at policy dialogues are reflected in actual budget lines.
She stressed that the issue is not only a funding gap but also a planning gap that must be addressed through gender-responsive education planning.
“Nearly 9.5 million Nigerian girls are out of school today. That is not a funding gap alone. It is a planning gap,” she said.
She called on stakeholders to prioritise girls in planning, costing, and tracking education spending, stressing that girls across the country are waiting for real action rather than repeated policy discussions.
