Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – April 14, 2025 — Nigeria is taking centre stage at the ongoing Human Capital Initiative (HCI) 2025 Conference in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, presenting the country’s ambitious Education Sector Renewal Initiative (NESRI) on a global platform.
The high-level conference, which runs from April 13 to 15, began with opening remarks from H.E. Yousef Bin Abdullah AlBenyan, Minister of Education and Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Human Capability Development Program (HCDP), Saudi Arabia. Also speaking at the opening session was Dr. Ju-Ho Lee, former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education of South Korea.
One of the highlights of the event was the ministerial panel session featuring top education policymakers from across the globe, including:
H.E. Yousef Bin Abdullah AlBenyan, Minister of Education, Saudi Arabia
Ahmed Shafeeu, Minister of State for Higher Education, Labour and Skills Development, Maldives
H.E. Sarah Bint Yousef Al Amiri, Minister of Education, United Arab Emirates
Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, Minister of Education, Nigeria
The session focused on cross-national strategies for upskilling youth and building resilient education systems. Representing Nigeria, Dr. Alausa outlined the NESRI framework, emphasizing its six-point agenda, cross-cutting enablers, and foundational pillars.
He also spotlighted flagship programmes such as Skill Up Nigeria and the Universal Basic Education (UBE) Scheme, which are central to the federal government’s push to revamp education and equip young Nigerians for the future of work.
Dr. Alausa’s participation at the prestigious gathering signals President Bola Tinubu’s broader commitment to repositioning Nigeria as a leader in education reform and human capital development.
In his closing remarks, the Minister extended appreciation to His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince, Prime Minister, and Chairman of the HCDP Committee, for the invitation and opportunity for Nigeria to showcase its transformative education initiatives.
The HCI 2025 Conference, streamed to thousands of global viewers, aligns with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and serves as a crucial platform for dialogue and innovation in human capital development.
Watch the full Ministerial panel session here (48:30–1:22:00):
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