The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening partnerships with the private sector to drive sustainable development and improve learning outcomes across Nigeria’s education system.
The Federal Ministry of Education announced this at a high-level roundtable in Lagos, engaging key private-sector stakeholders to deepen collaboration and mobilise greater investment in the sector.
The meeting brought together 32 representatives from sectors including telecommunications, finance, energy, construction, development partners and academia, reflecting a broad-based push to enhance education delivery.
Participants included major organisations such as MTN Foundation, Sterling Bank, Zenith Bank, Access Group, Africa Finance Corporation, NLNG, Sahara Group, Oando Group, Seplat Energy, Airtel Africa Foundation, Tony Elumelu Foundation, Women at Risk International Foundation (WARIF) and Julius Berger Ltd.
Government officials were joined by representatives of the British High Commission, the Italian Embassy and the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), alongside academic experts.
Opening the session, the Minister of State for Education called for stronger collaboration, setting the tone for discussions focused on investment, innovation and long-term impact.
Minister of Education, Maruf Tunji Alausa, outlined achievements under the Renewed Hope Agenda, highlighting reforms driven by policy innovation, data utilisation, digital transformation and strengthened partnerships.
Representatives of GPE stressed the need for increased private sector investment, particularly in skills development, to expand access and maximise the impact of funding.
Development partners, including the United Kingdom and Italy, reaffirmed support for Nigeria’s education sector through financing initiatives such as the GPE Multiplier.
Private sector stakeholders advocated a structured Public-Private Partnership framework and proposed the creation of a council to ensure policy consistency, accountability and measurable outcomes.
At the meeting, the Airtel Africa Foundation announced plans to support digital learning through curriculum deployment in primary schools, provision of zero-rated data for teacher development, expanded internet connectivity and support for online education initiatives.
The Ministry also unveiled a follow-up engagement plan to unlock GPE Multiplier funding, including mobilising private sector champions, encouraging crowdfunding and establishing a Public-Private Education Technical Working Group.
The Technical Working Group, to be co-chaired by the Minister of Education and the Minister of State for Education, is expected to develop a comprehensive framework to strengthen governance, policy alignment and impact measurement in public-private education investments.
Officials said the framework would enhance coordination, improve planning and ensure accountability among stakeholders working to advance Nigeria’s education sector.
