Tunji Alausa, minister of education, has called on state governments to take full advantage of the World Bank-supported Hope for Quality Basic Education for All (HOPE-EDU) programme, which provides $552 million in performance-based financing to subnationals to boost Nigeria’s basic education sector.
Alausa spoke on Tuesday during the opening of the five-day executive retreat for commissioners of education, organised by the Committee of States’ Commissioners of Education (COSCEN) in Abuja.
BACKGROUND
In March 2026, the federal government announced the unlocking of the $552 million HOPE-EDU financing to fast-track reforms aimed at improving foundational learning, expanding access and strengthening education systems across participating states.
According to the World Bank, disbursements under the project are tied to verifiable results, including increased enrolment, improved learning outcomes and other critical reforms.
The project seeks to benefit about 30 million children and 500,000 teachers across 65,000 public schools and 10,000 non-formal
