Education, youth empowerment funding under spotlight as Nigeria’s 2026 budget takes shape

By Isaac Joseph Inyang

Nigeria’s 2026 national budget, tagged the “Budget of Consolidation, Renewed Resilience and Shared Prosperity,” has placed education and human capital among its headline priorities, but analysts and stakeholders say planned funding levels fall short of what is needed to transform the sector and deliver substantial youth empowerment outcomes.

Presented to the National Assembly by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Federal Government’s proposed Appropriation Bill totals approximately ₦58.18 trillion for the 2026 fiscal year. In the breakdown of key sectors, education is allocated about ₦3.52 trillion, making it one of the top social expenditures after defence, security and infrastructure.

Government officials have underscored the role of education in driving national productivity and economic growth, affirming its linkage with security and health as foundational priorities for sustainable development.

Despite its prominence in federal budget statements, civil society and education advocates have expressed concerns that the education allocation of roughly 6.05 per cent of total national expenditure is considerably below international benchmarks such as the 15–25 per cent recommended by UNICEF for achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 4 (quality education).

Stakeholders argue that inadequate funding risks undermining improvements in infrastructure, teaching quality, learning outcomes and equity of access, particularly as Nigeria contends with high rates of out-of-school children and widening skills gaps. A recent leadership sector review noted that the education budget has stagnated around 6–7 per cent over the past five years, prompting calls for increased investment and strategic reforms.

Youth development initiatives in the 2026 appropriation do not appear as a standalone line item at the federal level. However, some programmes targeting youth empowerment are embedded within broader ministry plans. For example, the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation has proposed about ₦23.56 billion for youth empowerment, medical outreach, training and related projects, with specific components directed at economic independence and skill acquisition.

The structure of youth funding within the budget reflects a wider challenge cited by analysts: the absence of a clearly dedicated “youth development” budget makes tracking impact and accountability difficult, especially for programmes that cut across ministries such as youth and sports, education, labour and social services.

At the sub-national level, some states have taken more ambitious approaches to education funding. For instance, Ogun State’s proposed 2026 budget earmarks ₦275 billion (17 per cent) for education, while other states also allocate significant shares of their budgets to human capital and social services.

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has welcomed the focus on education, expressing optimism that 2026 could be a year of “progress and shared responsibility” for students and young people across the country.

As lawmakers begin detailed scrutiny and amendments in the National Assembly, debates are expected to centre on whether the education and youth empowerment provisions of the budget are sufficient to address Nigeria’s development needs especially in the face of economic pressures and demographic dynamics.