The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) has unveiled a $552.18 million World Bank-supported education programme targeting 29 million children, 500,000 teachers, 65,000 public schools and 10,000 non-formal learning centres across Nigeria.
The Human Capital Opportunities for Prosperity and Equity (HOPE-EDU) programme also targets the construction of 13,000 new classrooms as part of efforts to improve learning outcomes, expand access to quality basic education and strengthen education delivery nationwide.
UBEC Executive Secretary, Dr Aisha Garba, disclosed the targets at a two-day meeting with chairmen of State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs) on implementation readiness in Abuja.
According to a statement issued by the Commission on Wednesday, Garba urged state governments to demonstrate the political will and financial commitment required to achieve the programme’s objectives.
She said HOPE-EDU became effective on February 27, 2026, and had entered its implementation phase.
The programme, a Federal Government initiative supported by the World Bank, adopts a results-based financing model under which disbursements are linked to the achievement of agreed targets and performance indicators.
Garba said the initiative was designed to improve learning outcomes, increase equitable access to basic education and strengthen governance and accountability in the education sector.
She explained that HOPE-EDU builds on the implementation of the Universal Basic Education programme and complements other government interventions in governance and primary healthcare.
According to her, the programme has three result areas: improving the quality of basic education, expanding access to education and strengthening key systems.
Garba said $262.239 million had been allocated to improving education quality, $123.9 million to expanding access and $133.611 million to strengthening key systems.
She explained that the first result area was open to 33 states, with the possibility of extending participation to all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), subject to participation in the HOPE-GOV operations.
The second result area targets 15 states with the largest populations of out-of-school children that also meet other eligibility requirements, while the third is open to all 36 states and the FCT.
The UBEC chief said the programme prioritised improving teaching quality, providing essential learning resources and raising pupils’ learning achievement in participating states.
She added that it would promote the adoption of the Structured Pedagogy Programme to strengthen the teaching of literacy and numeracy in primary schools.
Garba stressed that successful implementation would require effective coordination among state ministries of education, SUBEBs, Local Education Authorities, schools and School-Based Management Committees.
She warned, however, that achieving the programme’s targets would depend largely on state governors and other relevant authorities providing the necessary policy direction and budgetary support.
The UBEC executive secretary urged SUBEB chairmen to brief their respective state executives on the programme and secure their support for the timely implementation of its activities.
She particularly highlighted the importance of the 2027 state budgets, noting that several disbursement-linked indicators required states to make adequate financial provisions for programme activities.
According to her, many deliverables scheduled for the programme’s first year would depend on the inclusion of relevant activities and allocations in the 2027 budgets.
Garba urged the HOPE-EDU team to transmit the programme report to state executives promptly to secure their buy-in and support for its implementation.
She said the initiative, introduced under President Bola Tinubu’s administration, was intended to give every child, particularly those from marginalised communities, rural areas and out-of-school populations, equitable opportunities to access quality education.
Garba charged SUBEB chairmen, as key implementers of basic education at the state level, to take ownership of the programme and ensure their respective states met the agreed targets and disbursement-linked indicators.
“The success of HOPE-EDU rests on your shoulders. Let us work together to ensure that no state is left behind,” she said.
Earlier, HOPE-EDU Programme Manager, Olumayowa Aleshin, presented an overview of the initiative, including its funding structure, implementation targets and key milestones.
The programme’s implementation framework requires participating states to meet specified performance targets and verification requirements to qualify for corresponding disbursements.
HOPE-EDU is expected to support improvements in teaching and learning, expand educational opportunities for underserved populations and strengthen the systems needed to deliver quality basic education across Nigeria.