FG Targets Better Future for Nigerian Children with ₦113.7bn Education Plan

The Federal Government has proposed a total of ₦113.764 billion for key education interventions in the 2026 fiscal year, signalling renewed efforts to improve access, safety and quality across Nigeria’s education system.

Findings from the 2026 appropriation bill show that the funds will support school feeding programmes, scholarships, initiatives for out-of-school children and the provision of security infrastructure in unity colleges nationwide.

President Bola Tinubu had on December 19, 2025, presented the ₦58.18 trillion budget proposal to a joint session of the National Assembly.

A breakdown of the education intervention allocation indicates that ₦28 billion has been earmarked for security infrastructure in 118 unity colleges, including perimeter fencing and solar-powered electricity installations.

The Federal Government also set aside ₦1.4 billion for the servicing and verification of 8,337 beneficiaries under the Federal Government Scholarship Awards for the 2019 to 2023 academic years. The beneficiaries are students in public tertiary institutions across the country.

In addition, ₦42 billion was proposed for the national school nutrition feeding programme for primary school pupils, while ₦35 billion was allocated to the out-of-school children project aimed at reducing the number of children without access to basic education.

Further details show that ₦5.6 billion was provided for the servicing of 1,532 ongoing Bilateral Education Agreement (BEA) scholars studying in donor countries. The allocation covers supplementation allowances, medical and health insurance, warm clothing, postgraduate allowances and travel passages.

The scholars are studying in countries including Russia, China, Cuba, Romania, Turkey, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Serbia, Hungary, Ukraine, Mexico, Venezuela and Kazakhstan.

The government also proposed ₦1.7 billion for the conduct and implementation of 300 fresh scholarships under bilateral education agreements, as well as for monitoring the academic performance of Nigerian scholars in the same countries.