Nigeria: education

How much is Nigeria spending on education in 2026?

Nigeria's 2026 federal budget proposal allocated ₦1,381.86 billion for recurrent spending and ₦655.82 billion for capital spending at the Federal Ministry of Education, according to the 2026 Appropriation Bill. The Universal Basic Education Commission was allocated ₦490.28 billion.

The ministry's budget mainly covers federal universities, polytechnics, colleges of education and unity schools. Primary and junior secondary schools are run by states and local governments, which receive matching grants through the Universal Basic Education Commission. The amounts are from the bill as proposed and may differ from the signed Appropriation Act.

Official sources: Budget Office: 2026 Appropriation Bill (PDF)

How many students pass WAEC with five credits?

1,214,191 of the 1,678,185 candidates who sat the West African Senior School Certificate Examination in Nigeria in 2022 obtained credits in at least five subjects including English and Mathematics, about 72%, according to the NBS 2023 Social Statistics Report. This is the most recent year in NBS statistics; no results statistics for 2026 were found on the WAEC Nigeria site, checked on 14 October 2026.

Five credits including English and Mathematics is the usual minimum requirement for university admission. The rate covers school candidates for the May/June examination.

Official sources: NBS: 2023 Social Statistics Report

What is the literacy rate in Nigeria?

60.9% of Nigerians aged 5 and over could read and write in 2023/24, according to the NBS General Household Survey-Panel Wave 5. The rate was 78.5% in urban areas and 54.0% in rural areas. By zone it ranged from 84.1% in the South-South to 44.6% in the North West.

The survey asks household members whether they can read and write in any language, so the figure is self-reported. It covers everyone aged 5 and over, which lowers the rate compared with measures of adult literacy for people aged 15 and over.

Official sources: NBS: General Household Survey-Panel Wave 5, 2023/24

How many teachers are there in Nigeria?

Nigeria had 1,469,528 primary school teachers, 590,161 secondary school teachers and 29,075 tertiary teachers in 2022, according to the NBS 2023 Social Statistics Report, the most recent NBS figures.

The counts come from administrative records compiled by education authorities and include teachers in public and private institutions that report. Dividing pupils by teachers gives a pupil-teacher ratio, but teachers are unevenly spread between states and between urban and rural schools. The Universal Basic Education Commission publishes more detail on basic education.

Official sources: NBS: 2023 Social Statistics Report

How many people are enrolled in adult literacy classes in Nigeria?

2,915,453 people were enrolled in adult literacy programmes in Nigeria in 2022, according to the NBS 2023 Social Statistics Report. Enrolment in nomadic primary schools, which serve children of pastoralist and fishing families, was 1,167,236.

Adult literacy classes teach basic reading, writing and numeracy to adults and young people who missed formal schooling. Nomadic schools are designed for families that move with the seasons. Both figures come from administrative records and are the most recent published by the NBS.

Official sources: NBS: 2023 Social Statistics Report

How many teenagers in Nigeria are in school?

The latest figure from the UNESCO Institute for Statistics, for 2023, is 46.9%. The peak was 52.8% in 2013 and the low 30.4% in 2007. Sub-Saharan Africa median: 46.9%; Nigeria is 10th highest of 19. World rank, highest first: 127th of 138.

What is the literacy rate in Nigeria?

The UNESCO Institute for Statistics puts the adult literacy rate in Nigeria at 70.4% in 2024. In 2016 the figure was 58.2%. It is 6th highest of 7 in Sub-Saharan Africa, where the median is 77.0%.

How much does Nigeria spend on education?

The latest figure from the UNESCO Institute for Statistics, for 2023, is 0.3% of GDP. That is the lowest since at least 2012. It is 34th highest of 35 in Sub-Saharan Africa, where the median is 3.3% of GDP. Worldwide: 111th of 112.