The Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Olatunji Alausa, has declared that Nigeria’s education reforms can only achieve lasting success through stronger collaboration between the Federal and State Governments and the adoption of data-driven planning.

Speaking at the opening of a five-day Executive Retreat for Honourable Commissioners of Education, organised by the Committee of States’ Commissioners of Education (COSCEN) in Abuja, Dr. Alausa described education as the country’s most powerful instrument for economic growth, national security and sustainable development.

He said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has placed education at the centre of the Renewed Hope Agenda by providing the political leadership needed to implement far-reaching reforms capable of transforming the sector.

According to the Minister, while the Federal Government provides policy direction and strategic interventions, state governments bear the primary responsibility for delivering quality education, making closer collaboration essential for meaningful and sustainable progress.

Alausa said one of the most significant reforms under the administration is the deployment of the National Education Data Infrastructure (NEDI) and the Digitalised Nigeria Education Management Information System (DNEMIS), designed to eliminate guesswork in education planning.

He explained that the integrated digital platforms would provide real-time information on school enrolment, teacher deployment, infrastructure, learning outcomes and other key indicators required for effective planning, budgeting, monitoring and resource allocation.

The Minister urged all states to complete their Annual School Census using the digitised platform, while commending Kaduna and Borno States for leading implementation efforts.

Dr. Alausa also called on Commissioners of Education to take full advantage of the World Bank-supported HOPE Education Programme, which provides US$552 million in performance-based financing for states that meet agreed implementation milestones.

He noted that although all 36 states are eligible to benefit from the programme, several have yet to fulfil key requirements, including signing Subsidiary Loan Agreements, opening designated programme accounts and meeting mandatory data reporting obligations.

The Minister urged states to work closely with the Federal Ministry of Education and the World Bank to satisfy the Programme-for-Results conditions and unlock additional resources for improving access to education, learning outcomes and education governance.

To sustain ongoing reforms, Dr. Alausa proposed quarterly meetings of State Commissioners of Education to review progress, share best practices and strengthen accountability across the federation.

He added that under the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative (NESRI), the Federal Government is expanding access to affordable digital learning technologies, including offline instructional platforms, comprehensive digital learning resources and teacher support tools to improve classroom instruction.

The Minister, however, cautioned against investing heavily in expensive smart school infrastructure without sustainable maintenance plans, stressing that quality teaching materials, teacher development and conducive learning environments remain the most important drivers of improved learning outcomes.

Declaring the retreat open, Dr. Alausa urged Commissioners to embrace evidence-based decision-making, collaboration and continuity in education reforms, stressing that Nigeria’s future prosperity and global competitiveness depend on the quality of education provided to today’s learners.

In a keynote address, former Minister of Aviation, Osita Chidoka, challenged Commissioners to build reforms that would outlive political administrations, emphasising policy continuity, reliable data, teacher development, accountability and sustained investment in learning outcomes.

Also speaking, the World Bank’s Senior Economist and Task Team Leader for the HOPE Education Programme, Mr. Shin Nomura, representing the Country Director, Mr. Matthew Verghis, reaffirmed the Bank’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s education reform agenda and urged states to complete all necessary requirements to access available programme funding.