President Buhari Promises To Increase Nigeria’s Education Budget By 50% Over The Next Two Years

President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari has pledged to increase the budget for the country’s education sector by as much as 50 percent over the next two years.

The President made the commitment in a document titled, Heads Of State Call To Action On Education Financing Ahead Of The Global Education Summit, signed as a form of commitment at the on-going Summit in London, United Kingdom.

Naija News recalls the Summit which is being co-hosted by the Prime Minister of UK Boris Johnson and the President of Kenya Uhuru Kenyatta seeks to give opportunity for leaders to make 5-year pledges to support GPE’s work to help transform education systems in up to 90 countries and territories.

The full text of the declaration as made available to Naija News on Wednesday by Buhari’s special adviser on media and publicity, Femi Adesina is reproduced below:

​“I join my brother, His Excellency, Uhuru Kenyatta, President of the Republic of Kenya to affirm our commitment to improve learning outcomes in our respective countries by ensuring equitable access to quality and inclusive education for all our citizens, with particular emphasis on the girl child.

“We fully endorse the call for more efficient use of resources and to significantly increase investment in education by strengthening institutions, promoting greater adoption of technology, building the capacities of our teachers and mobilizing additional financial resources through legal frameworks and deliberate intervention on a sustainable basis.

“In this regard, we commit to progressively increase our annual domestic education expenditure by 50% over the next two years and up to 100% by 2025 beyond the 20% global benchmark.

“Let us, therefore, raise our hands in solidarity to build a more secure and prosperous future for our children.”

Meanwhile, the Muhammadu Buhari-led administration has downplayed reports that the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations had stopped the proposed sale of attack helicopters to Nigeria.

According to US officials and congressional aides, members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee have delayed clearing a proposed sale of 12 AH-1 Cobra attack helicopters and accompanying defense systems to the Nigerian military due to human rights concerns and the government’s role in the #EndSARS protest.

But reacting while speaking with Vanguard on Wednesday, a presidency source stated that there is no cause for alarm as the country would get every necessary assistance it wants from the US government.