Olufemi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to the President of Nigeria, has criticized the 2025 education budget allocation of N3.52 trillion, describing it as insufficient to meet the nation’s educational needs.
Speaking as the guest lecturer at the maiden annual lecture of Osun State University held at the Olagunsoye Oyinlola Auditorium in Osogbo, Gbajabiamila addressed the theme: “Interrogating Funding of Education: Global versus Nigerian Perspectives.”
The former Speaker of the House of Representatives stressed that education is a fundamental right for all Nigerians, not a privilege. He argued that both federal and state governments cannot adequately fund quality public university education as long as the current system persists.
Highlighting the discrepancy between Nigeria and other countries, Gbajabiamila said the nation’s budgetary allocation for education falls significantly short of the amounts required to ensure a high standard of learning.
He acknowledged that funding tertiary institutions remains a critical challenge for Nigerian governments. The reality, Gbajabiamila noted, is that both federal and state authorities currently lack the capacity to provide the level of funding necessary to guarantee qualitative education in the modern era.
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