Vice President Kashim Shettima on Saturday announced that the administration of President Bola Tinubu increased the education budget to ₦3.5 trillion in the 2025 Budget.
This figure represents 7.3% of the national budget, an increase from the previous year.
He made the disclosure while speaking at the 50th anniversary celebration of the University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) in Borno State.
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He stated that the improved investment reflects the “renewed vigour” to properly situate Nigeria in the global knowledge economy, warning that the nation cannot compete globally if its universities remain underfunded.
Shettima emphasised that sustained investment in education is now a core pillar of national development and security under Tinubu’s administration.
He described education as the “immune system of the nation” that fuels economic mobility, strengthens social cohesion, and fortifies national security.
He acknowledged that, despite international benchmarks recommending a higher percentage, the government is compelled to balance competing national priorities like security, healthcare, and infrastructure.
The administration’s commitment is also underscored by several initiatives as universities are being supported to develop mechanised farming programmes for the first time in many years.
Grants have been introduced to strengthen medical education, programmes have been expanded to equip students with skills for a modern economy and the government is preparing young people for a knowledge-driven world through digital transformation and training in Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Shettima admitted that Nigerian universities continue to face significant challenges, including staff shortages, brain drain, inadequate research funding, and frequent strikes.
He said the Tinubu administration is responding with curriculum reforms, research development, and skills-based learning to shift education away from rote memorisation toward problem-solving and entrepreneurship.
Shettima affirmed that the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda places education at the centre of Nigeria’s economic and social renewal, directly linking learning to job creation, poverty reduction, and national security.
Reflecting on the impact of insecurity, he recalled that over 500 schools were attacked in Borno State between 2009 and 2021.
However, he commended the state’s recovery efforts, noting that as of March 2025, 877,777 learners were enrolled in public schools, with the state committing ₦69.81 billion to education.
“When terrorists attacked our schools, they were trying to kill the future. But Borno chose hope over fear and education over darkness,” Shettima stated.
He described the University of Maiduguri, established during the Third National Development Plan of 1975–1980, as a lighthouse in the Sahel.
Also speaking at the event, Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum announced scholarships for further studies for 200 lecturers from UNIMAID.
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Adamawa State Governor Umaru Fintiri donated ₦1.8 billion on behalf of the North-East states to the University’s endowment fund.
The Vice Chancellor of UNIMAID, Mohammed Mele, sought improved collaboration with the private sector to complement government funding and sustain the institution’s strides.
