Nigeria and Italy have strengthened collaboration with the Global Partnership for Education, GPE, to mobilise 5 billion dollars in global education financing, as world leaders renewed efforts to close the widening education funding gap.
The initiative was highlighted at the high-level Multiply Possibility: A New Era for Education Financing event in New York, held on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in a video message, said the GPE vision aligns with Nigeria’s agenda of improving learning outcomes through expanded access and stronger teacher capacity.
Representing the President at the event, Vice President Kashim Shettima said education should be treated as an investment in Nigeria’s economic future, productivity, prosperity and national stability.
“For Nigeria, education is not an expenditure at the margins of our development agenda. It is an investment in our economic future, national productivity, and the prosperity and stability of our people.”
Shettima said the Tinubu administration had increased resources for education while pursuing reforms in basic education financing, foundational learning and access to tertiary and technical education. He also cited the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, saying it was strengthening the connection between education, skills, employment and enterprise.
The Vice President said Nigeria was exploring lawful domestic sources of financing beyond traditional budgetary allocations.
He disclosed that President Tinubu had directed that liquid funds recovered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, after legal clearance and resolution of litigation, be channelled to the Nigerian Education Loan Fund.
He added that the Federal Executive Council had approved consideration of unclaimed dividends and dormant funds for the same purpose, subject to legal requirements.
Shettima also highlighted Nigeria’s partnership with the World Bank and GPE through HOPE-EDU, saying the programme was expected to reach about 29 million children and 500,000 teachers across Nigeria.
“This is precisely why GPE matters. GPE does not replace national investment; it multiplies it.”
He said the campaign seeks to mobilise 5 billion dollars for GPE and unlock additional financing for education in partner countries, stressing that domestic resources must remain the anchor, supported by development assistance, concessional finance, philanthropy and innovative financing.
Shettima said Nigeria’s youthful population could become a major economic asset if young people had access to quality education, relevant skills and meaningful opportunities.
He argued that declining global aid required what he described as “smarter multilateralism”, using limited international resources to leverage larger investments.
The Vice President urged participants to make the initiative more than a fundraising exercise, describing it as “a renewed compact for human capital” that brings together national leadership, international partnerships and responsible financing to ensure that every child can learn, thrive and contribute to the future.
He thanked Italy and the GPE for joining the campaign, stressing that Nigeria was participating not simply to ask for more international support, but “to demonstrate that we are investing in education ourselves.”
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, in a video message, praised President Tinubu’s leadership and Nigeria’s efforts to improve education outcomes, while urging partners in the global alliance to strengthen their commitment to education in developing countries.
The United Nations Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, called for greater support to countries committed to improving education, particularly in creating fiscal space and strengthening teacher training and motivation.
The Chair of the GPE Board of Directors, former Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete, said education financing must be accelerated, describing education as central to human rights, security and peace.
Girls’ education activist Malala Yousafzai also called for stronger global cooperation, urging governments and multilateral organisations to increase resources for gender equality in education and address the specific needs of girls in developing countries.
Governments and donors at the event made commitments toward educating at least 370 million children globally, while Italy pledged 50 million euros to GPE programmes and interventions.
The GPE financing campaign is aimed at leveraging international and domestic resources to strengthen education systems and expand access to quality learning, particularly in developing countries facing widening financing gaps.
GPE’s broader campaign framework seeks to mobilise 5 billion dollars in replenishment financing and unlock additional co-financing.
