By Jumoke Olaitan
The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, says Nigeria’s co-hosting of the Global Partnership for Education 2026–2030 Replenishment Campaign alongside Italy has boosted the nation’s standing in global education leadership.
Alausa spoke in New York, according to a statement issued by Mr Ikharo Attah, Special Adviser to the Minister on Media and Communications, on Thursday in Abuja.
The minister spoke after the “Multiply Possibility: A New Era for Education Financing” event held on the margins of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly.
The event was a major global gathering convened by GPE alongside the Permanent Missions of Italy and Nigeria to the United Nations.
It brought together heads of state, ministers, development banks, philanthropic organisations, and civil society leaders to address the global learning crisis.
The minister said: “This is a great day for education, and a great day for our country, Nigeria.
”The co-hosting role demonstrated Nigeria’s willingness to support education beyond its borders, particularly in countries where the need was greatest.”
He explained that the GPE replenishment campaign seeks to mobilise five billion dollars to support education in more than 100 countries between 2026 and 2030.
He added that the funding would support access to quality education, stronger education systems, foundational learning and improved educational outcomes.
Alausa stressed the importance of teachers to achieve sustainable education reforms.
“Teachers are the ones that matter most as we build our education agenda in Nigeria,” he said.
He said Nigeria’s decision to co-host the campaign was not primarily driven by the prospect of attracting additional funding, adding that the country had received about 800 million dollars in GPE grant support since joining the partnership.
According to him, Nigeria accepted the responsibility to co-host the campaign to demonstrate its commitment to education and contribute to expanding learning opportunities for children globally.
He said the previous GPE replenishment cycle impacted almost 750 million children, underscoring the importance of sustained international investment in education.
He recalled that GPE Board Chair and former President of Tanzania, Dr Jakaya Kikwete, approached President Bola Tinubu in January 2025 to seek Nigeria’s support to co-host the replenishment campaign with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
Alausa said Tinubu accepted the invitation and committed his personal time and political support to the initiative.
He said the President’s involvement was not simply about what Nigeria could receive from GPE, but about positioning the country to contribute to education efforts across more than 100 countries.
The minister commended Meloni for her partnership and thanked Vice-President Kashim Shettima for his support for Tinubu, education and the Federal Government’s transformation agenda.
He stressed the importance of expanding access to quality education and strengthening teacher capacity to improve learning outcomes.
In his remarks, Shettima who represented Tinubu at the event, described education as “an investment in Nigeria’s economic future, productivity, prosperity and stability”.
He highlighted Federal Government reforms aimed at strengthening education financing, expanding foundational learning and improving access to tertiary and technical education.
Shettima also emphasised the importance of domestic resources alongside international support for education.
On her part, Meloni commended Tinubu’s leadership and Nigeria’s commitment to improving educational outcomes, while calling for stronger international support and sustained investment in education in developing countries.
Also, Kikwete stressed the need to accelerate education financing amid declining development assistance and a widening financing gap.
The UN Deputy Secretary-General, Dr Amina Mohammed, called for greater support from international financial institutions to help countries create the fiscal space needed to invest in education, including teacher training and capacity building.
Education activist, Malala Yousafzai, also called for stronger collaboration and increased investment in education, particularly in advancing gender equality and meeting the educational needs of girls in developing countries. (NAN)
Edited by Philip Yatai