The Federal Government has inaugurated the Education and Youth Empowerment Programme in Northwest Nigeria (EYEPINN) National Programme Steering Committee (NPSC) to provide strategic direction, policy guidance, and oversight for the €40 million EU-supported initiative aimed at transforming education and empowering youth in the Northwest region.
The programme, which is being implemented in Jigawa, Kano, and Sokoto States, seeks to reduce the number of out-of-school children, enhance teacher development, and promote youth skills acquisition to support human capital growth in the region.
The committee is chaired by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, and co-chaired by the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu. It will meet annually to provide strategic direction, while the EU Technical Assistance Team (EU-TAT) will serve as its secretariat. Quarterly technical meetings are also planned to ensure close monitoring, transparency, and accountability in project delivery.
Speaking at the inauguration in Abuja, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Mr. Abel Olumuyiwa Enitan, represented by Dr. Ejeh Usman, described EYEPINN as a flagship initiative under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring equitable access to quality education and youth empowerment across Nigeria.
He stated that the NPSC will coordinate multi-sectoral efforts to improve foundational learning, digital literacy, teacher development, and youth skills training in line with global education standards.
“The EYEPINN project represents one of the most strategic interventions aimed at addressing the persistent challenges of out-of-school children, teacher capacity development, safe learning environments, and youth skills acquisition in Nigeria’s Northwest,” he said.
He added that the EU’s continued support through initiatives such as EYEPINN and the Expand, Integrate and Strengthen Systems (EISS) project reflects a shared commitment to empowering young people and ensuring that every child—regardless of background or gender—has access to quality education.
Highlighting the committee’s oversight role, Enitan said, “The committee is not only a platform for accountability but also a forum for strategic dialogue to ensure that all partners’ efforts are coherent and impactful. The success of EYEPINN depends on strong collaboration among federal, state, and local governments and our international partners. Every Euro invested must translate into measurable outcomes—better learning, empowered teachers, safer schools, and a resilient education system that leaves no child behind.”
Mr. Benjamin Nyanza Galadima, representing the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, noted that the €40 million funding “reflects a shared commitment by the Federal Government and the European Union to human capital development.” He said the programme aligns with Nigeria’s National Development Plan (2021–2025) and the EU’s Global Gateway Strategy aimed at promoting inclusive growth and sustainable development.
The EU Programme Manager, Ms. Kate Kanebi, explained that the ₦69.9 billion initiative will promote safe learning spaces, vocational education, and inclusive opportunities for girls and marginalized groups in the Northwest.
Team Leader for Human Development at the EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Leila Mathieu, described EYEPINN as the EU Delegation’s first standalone education project in Nigeria. “This is the EU Delegation to Nigeria’s first project solely focused on education—our flagship project,” she said. “We wanted it designed in alignment with the Ministry of Education to serve the real needs of the Nigerian people.”
Mathieu revealed that under the EU’s 2021–2027 partnership framework, about €800 million has been committed to Nigeria through national programmes, alongside hundreds of millions more from regional programme windows. She said the €40 million EYEPINN project, funded through UNICEF, Plan International, DIME, and technical assistance to the Ministry of Education, focuses on improving basic education—especially for out-of-school children and nomadic learners—through partnerships with Quranic schools.
UNICEF’s Chief of Education, Vanessa Lee, said the project is timely and comes at a crucial stage in Nigeria’s education reform journey. “It will support both Federal and State Ministries of Education, as well as UBEC and SUBEBs, in transforming the education system,” she said.
“We remain committed to ensuring every child learns by supporting digital data systems, education financing, integrated Quranic learning centres, and foundational literacy and numeracy programmes, while promoting professional learning for teachers.”
Country Director of Plan International, Dr. Charles Usie, praised the EU’s sustained investment in Nigeria’s education and health sectors, noting that such partnerships strengthen the delivery of essential services.
Save the Children International’s Country Director, Duncan Harvey, emphasized the project’s potential to promote inclusive learning. “This is an important step that will improve programme leadership and ensure that every child—regardless of location, gender, or ability—has the right to quality basic education,” Harvey said.
The NPSC, chaired by the Minister of Education, includes key ministries, the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), state representatives, and development partners such as UNICEF, Plan International, the World Bank, and the EU Delegation.