Abuja, Nigeria – July, 2025 — The Federal Ministry of Education, in collaboration with the Malala Fund, has launched two critical reports highlighting significant disparities and potential solutions in state-level funding for girls’ education across Nigeria.
The reports, unveiled in Abuja, aim to provide empirical evidence on how inadequate budgetary allocations and weak implementation structures at the sub-national level continue to undermine access to quality education for millions of Nigerian girls.
Speaking during the presentation, officials from the Federal Ministry of Education described the findings as a “wake-up call” for policymakers and state governments. The reports recommend targeted interventions, including increased budget transparency, equity-driven financing, and strategic partnerships with civil society to close the gender gap in education.
The Malala Fund, co-founded by Nobel Laureate Malala Yousafzai, reiterated its commitment to advancing girls’ education globally and urged Nigerian leaders to prioritise investment in girls as a critical component of sustainable national development.
“Investing in girls is not just a moral obligation — it’s smart economics, a path to justice, and a foundation for nation-building,” said a representative from the Malala Fund.
The reports call on state actors to adopt clear frameworks that ensure education budgets are inclusive, adequately funded, and focused on removing barriers such as early marriage, poverty, insecurity, and poor school infrastructure, which disproportionately affect girls.
Stakeholders in attendance, including civil society leaders, educators, and development partners, welcomed the reports as timely, pledging support for gender-responsive education financing that empowers girls and strengthens Nigeria’s long-term development goals.
