The Federal Government has outlined plans to spend ₦113.764 billion on major education interventions in the 2026 financial year, according to details contained in the proposed appropriation bill.
The funding will support critical programmes such as school feeding, scholarship schemes, initiatives to address the challenge of out-of-school children, and the installation of security infrastructure in unity colleges nationwide.
President Bola Tinubu presented the ₦58.18 trillion 2026 budget proposal to a joint sitting of the National Assembly on December 19, 2025.
A closer look at the education component shows that ₦28 billion has been set aside to strengthen security in 118 unity colleges. This includes perimeter fencing and the deployment of solar-powered electricity systems to improve safety and learning conditions.
The government also allocated ₦1.4 billion to cater for the servicing and verification of 8,337 beneficiaries of the Federal Government Scholarship Awards from 2019 to 2023. These beneficiaries are students enrolled in public tertiary institutions across the country.
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In the area of basic education, ₦42 billion was proposed for the national school feeding programme targeting primary school pupils, while ₦35 billion was earmarked for initiatives aimed at reducing the number of out-of-school children.
Additionally, ₦5.6 billion was provided for the upkeep of 1,532 Nigerian students currently studying abroad under the Bilateral Education Agreement scheme. The funding will cover allowances, health insurance, clothing, postgraduate support and travel costs. Beneficiary countries include Russia, China, Cuba, Romania, Turkey, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Serbia, Hungary, Ukraine, Mexico, Venezuela and Kazakhstan.
The proposal further includes ₦1.7 billion for the award and administration of 300 new bilateral scholarships, as well as for monitoring the academic performance of Nigerian scholars studying in partner countries.
