Nigeria and Italy have strengthened collaboration to mobilise $5 billion in global education financing through the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), with the initiative receiving fresh attention at a high-level event on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York.
The event, tagged “Multiply Possibility: A New Era for Education Financing”, was jointly hosted by Nigeria, Italy and the Global Partnership for Education on Wednesday, September 23, bringing together governments, donors, development partners and other stakeholders to secure stronger commitments for education financing worldwide.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who was represented at the event by Vice President Kashim Shettima, said the GPE vision aligned with Nigeria’s education agenda, particularly the need to improve learning outcomes by expanding access and strengthening teacher capacity.
In a video message to the gathering, Tinubu commended GPE stakeholders for their efforts to accelerate education financing globally and emphasised the importance of investment in education as part of Nigeria’s development priorities.
Shettima, speaking on behalf of the President, described education as an investment in Nigeria’s economic future, national productivity, prosperity and stability rather than simply another area of government expenditure.
He said the Federal Government had increased resources devoted to education since 2023 while pursuing reforms aimed at strengthening basic education financing, foundational learning and access to tertiary and technical education.
The Vice President also highlighted the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, saying it was widening access to higher education while strengthening the connection between education, skills, employment and enterprise.
Shettima said the Federal Government was also exploring additional lawful domestic sources of education financing. According to him, President Tinubu had directed that liquid funds recovered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, once legally cleared and free from litigation, should be channelled to the Nigerian Education Loan Fund.
He added that the Federal Executive Council had approved consideration of unclaimed dividends and dormant funds for education financing, subject to relevant legal requirements.
The Vice President said Nigeria’s partnership with the World Bank and GPE through the HOPE-EDU programme was expected to reach approximately 29 million children and 500,000 teachers across the country.
He said the proposed $5 billion GPE campaign was intended to complement, rather than replace, domestic education investment and help unlock additional financing for partner countries.
The campaign has also attracted concrete financial commitments. Italy pledged €50 million for GPE programmes and interventions, while governments and donors at the New York event announced contributions aimed at supporting education for hundreds of millions of children globally.
A separate campaign update reported that $2.1 billion in confirmed and anticipated sovereign donor pledges had been announced for GPE, as part of broader international resources mobilised through the initiative.
The partnership between Nigeria and Italy predates the New York event. In May 2026, the two countries agreed to establish a working group to drive the proposed GPE financing campaign, with the broader initiative designed to mobilise $5 billion and unlock additional domestic education financing by 2030.
Education activist Malala Yousafzai also called for greater international cooperation and resources for education, with particular emphasis on gender equality and the needs of girls in developing countries.
The high-level meeting took place amid concerns over declining development assistance for education and widening financing gaps. The GPE said the campaign was aimed at strengthening education systems and ensuring that education remains central to development, human rights, security and peace.
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