The Federal Government has announced plans to carry out a nationwide household survey to determine the actual number of out-of-school children in Nigeria, saying existing estimates no longer accurately reflect the situation.
Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, disclosed this during the 2026 Annual Education Summit organised by the Education Correspondents Association of Nigeria (ECAN) in Abuja. He explained that the exercise would be conducted in collaboration with the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) to provide reliable data for planning and policymaking.
According to the minister, the survey will help the government understand the true scale and distribution of the problem, enabling it to develop more targeted interventions to improve access to education. He noted that although over one million out-of-school children have returned to school within the past two years, accurate data is essential for measuring progress and addressing the challenge effectively.
Current estimates place the number of out-of-school children in Nigeria between 15 million and 20 million, but Alausa said the government intends to replace estimates with verified statistics. He added that President Bola Tinubu’s administration is committed to evidence-based policymaking and greater accountability.
The minister also urged journalists to embrace investigative reporting and use credible data to monitor government performance in the education sector. He highlighted key reforms under the Renewed Hope Agenda, including Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), digital education, improved quality assurance, stronger governance, and expanded access to learning.
Alausa further revealed that Nigeria has recorded three consecutive years without disruptions to academic activities in universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education. He attributed the achievement to sustained dialogue between the government and tertiary institution unions.
He also announced that 24 Nigerian universities are now ranked among the world’s top 1,000 institutions, an increase from 21 previously, with public universities occupying the country’s top four positions.
Speaking at the summit, Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, called on journalists to support education reforms through balanced and responsible reporting. The Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Aisha Garba, reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to ensuring that every Nigerian child has access to quality basic education regardless of background or location.
The summit, themed “Three Years of the Tinubu Administration: Assessing Reforms, Progress and Challenges in Nigeria’s Education Sector,” brought together government officials, education stakeholders, and media professionals to review achievements and discuss ongoing challenges facing the country’s education system.
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