Vice President Kashim Shettima has declared that the improved investment in Nigeria’s education sector by the administration of President Bola Tinubu reflects the renewed vigour to properly situate the nation in the global knowledge economy.
He warned that Nigeria cannot compete globally if its universities remain underfunded, stressing that sustained investment in education is now a core pillar of national development and security under President Tinubu administration.
The Vice President reaffirmed the federal government’s commitment to transforming Nigeria’s education sector through increased funding and comprehensive reforms.
Shettima, who spoke Saturday in Maiduguri at a ceremony to mark the 50th anniversary of the University of Maiduguri, Borno State said: “Today, there is a shared national understanding that education is the most reliable vehicle to development. It is the immune system of the nation. It fuels economic mobility, lifts families out of poverty, strengthens social cohesion, deepens democratic culture, and fortifies national security. It sustains every modern endeavour, from the construction of strong institutions to the building of a strong economy”.
Speaking on the focus of the administration of President Tinubu, the Vice President said “…we have made it clear that we do not come to pay lip service to education. We recognise that the soul of national development lies in what our citizens know, what they can imagine, and what they can create. Because we understand the transformative power of learning, our budgetary commitments have been deliberately aligned with the broader goals of national progress.”
Shettima disclosed that “in the 2025 Budget, education received a total of 3.5 trillion naira, amounting to 7.3 percent of the national budget, an increase from the previous year. For the first time in many years, our universities are being supported to develop mechanised farming programmes. Grants have been introduced to strengthen medical education, and entrepreneurial initiatives have been expanded to equip students for the realities of a modern economy.”
“We are preparing our young people for a knowledge-driven world, not with the tools of yesterday, but with the skills of tomorrow,” he added.
The Vice President, however, acknowledged indeed the challenges that have persisted, noting that “for decades, underfunding has weakened the foundations of our education system. International benchmarks recommend that between fifteen and twenty percent of national budgets be devoted to education, yet we have often fallen short. We have fallen short because we are compelled to balance competing national priorities such as security, healthcare, and infrastructure.”
Reflecting on the impact of insecurity on education in the North-East, Shettima recalled that over 500 schools were attacked in Borno State between 2009 and 2021, with thousands of classrooms destroyed and teachers killed or displaced.
He, however, said the state has staged a remarkable recovery saying as at March 2025, 877,777 learners were enrolled in public schools across Borno, with the state committing ₦69.81 billion to education. Over 26,000 students had their WAEC fees paid by the government, while daily school feeding now costs about ₦122 million.
“When terrorists attacked our schools, they were trying to kill the future. But Borno chose hope over fear and education over darkness,” he said.
The Vice President admitted that Nigerian universities continue to battle staff shortages, brain drain, outdated curricula, inadequate research funding, frequent strikes and high student-to-teacher ratios.
He said the President Tinubu administration is responding through digital transformation, national education databases, curriculum reforms, research development and skills-based learning, shifting education away from rote memorisation toward problem-solving, creativity and entrepreneurship.
Shettima said President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda places education at the centre of Nigeria’s economic and social renewal, linking learning directly to job creation, poverty reduction, democratic stability and national security.
“National development is impossible without skilled citizens and leaders of integrity. That is why this government is investing deliberately in education, digital skills, research capacity and institutional autonomy,” he stated.
Tracing the roots of the University of Maiduguri to the Third National Development Plan of 1975–1980, the Vice President described the institution as a symbol of Nigeria’s commitment to development through knowledge, despite decades of security challenges.
“This university stands today not as a victim of the storms it endured, but as a lighthouse in the Sahel. The wealth of a nation lies not in gold or oil, but in the minds of its people. And that future is being shaped in our classrooms,” Shettima added.
Earlier, Governor of Borno State, Prof. Babagana Zulum, said the state government was proud of the legacies of the University of Maiduguri and announced the award of scholarships for further studies to 200 lecturers from the institution.
According to him, the institution has been instrumental in the state’s human parietal development efforts as well as economic blueprints over the years.
Also speaking, Governor Umaru Fintiri of Adamawa State who announced a donation of N1.8 billion on behalf of the states in the northeast region for the University’s endowment fund, commended efforts aimed at expanding funding sources for the institution through partnerships with the private sector and individuals.
On his part, Vice Chancellor of University of Maiduguri, Prof. Mohammed Mele, said the anniversary event was a celebration of success, resilience and perseverance in the face of conflict, recalling the challenges faced by the institution due to the insurgency.
He sought improved collaboration with the private sector to complement government funding of the institution, in its bid to sustain strides recorded in various fields.
Deji Elumoye
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