Vice President Kashim Shettima has said Nigeria must strengthen its education system despite the new 3.5 trillion naira allocation in the 2025 Budget, stressing that the country cannot compete globally if its universities remain underfunded. He explained that the renewed investment by the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu reflects a clear effort to reposition Nigeria in the global knowledge economy.
Speaking on Saturday in Maiduguri at the 50th anniversary of the University of Maiduguri, the Vice President said education has become a central part of national development and security. According to him, “Today, there is a shared national understanding that education is the most reliable vehicle to development. It is the immune system of the nation. It fuels economic mobility, lifts families out of poverty, strengthens social cohesion, deepens democratic culture, and fortifies national security. It sustains every modern endeavour, from the construction of strong institutions to the building of a strong economy.”
He said the Tinubu administration has made it clear that it will not pay lip service to education. Shettima noted that national development depends on what citizens know, can imagine, and can create. He added that budgetary decisions have been aligned with these goals. He explained that “in the 2025 Budget, education received a total of 3.5 trillion naira, amounting to 7.3 percent of the national budget, an increase from the previous year.”
He stated that for the first time in many years, universities are receiving support to build mechanised farming programmes. He also noted that new grants have been created to strengthen medical education and that entrepreneurial initiatives in universities have been expanded to equip students with skills needed in today’s global economy. “We are preparing our young people for a knowledge-driven world, not with the tools of yesterday, but with the skills of tomorrow,” he said.
Despite these investments, Shettima admitted that challenges remain. He explained that underfunding over several decades weakened the foundations of Nigeria’s education system. While global benchmarks recommend dedicating fifteen to twenty percent of national budgets to education, Nigeria has often been unable to reach those levels due to competing priorities such as security, healthcare and infrastructure.
The Vice President reflected on the heavy impact of insecurity on education in the North-East. He recalled that over 500 schools were attacked in Borno State between 2009 and 2021, resulting in thousands of classrooms being destroyed and teachers either killed or displaced. He said that despite these setbacks, the state has shown significant recovery. As of March 2025, 877,777 learners were enrolled in public schools across Borno State, and the government committed ₦69.81 billion to education. He added that more than 26,000 students had their WAEC fees paid by the state, while daily school feeding now costs about ₦122 million. Shettima described this resilience, saying, “When terrorists attacked our schools, they were trying to kill the future. But Borno chose hope over fear and education over darkness.”
He acknowledged that universities across Nigeria still face staff shortages, brain drain, outdated curricula, insufficient research funding, frequent strikes and high student-to-teacher ratios. According to him, the Tinubu administration is addressing these issues through digital transformation, creation of a national education database, curriculum reform, investment in research development and the promotion of skills-based training. He said these reforms aim to shift Nigerian education away from rote learning and toward creativity, problem-solving and entrepreneurship.
Shettima stressed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda places education at the centre of the country’s growth. He said education is directly linked to job creation, poverty reduction, democratic stability and national security. “National development is impossible without skilled citizens and leaders of integrity. That is why this government is investing deliberately in education, digital skills, research capacity and institutional autonomy,” he stated.
He also traced the origins of the University of Maiduguri to the Third National Development Plan of 1975–1980, noting that the institution has remained a symbol of national progress despite decades of security challenges. Shettima described the university as a resilient institution that continues to produce knowledge and skilled manpower for the country. “This university stands today not as a victim of the storms it endured, but as a lighthouse in the Sahel. The wealth of a nation lies not in gold or oil, but in the minds of its people. And that future is being shaped in our classrooms,” he said.
Earlier, Governor of Borno State, Prof. Babagana Zulum, said the state government is proud of the achievements of the University of Maiduguri and announced scholarships for 200 lecturers to further their studies. He noted that the institution has been a vital part of the state’s human capital development and economic plans for many years.
Governor Umaru Fintiri of Adamawa State also announced a donation of N1.8 billion on behalf of the states in the North-East region for the university’s endowment fund. He praised the growing efforts to expand funding for the institution through private partnerships and individual contributions.
In his remarks, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Maiduguri, Prof. Mohammed Mele, said the 50th anniversary was a celebration of resilience, success and perseverance, especially considering the impact of insurgency on the institution. He recalled the major challenges faced by the university in past years and called for stronger private sector collaboration to support government funding. He said such partnerships are necessary to maintain the progress achieved in research, teaching and community development.
Other dignitaries present at the anniversary event included Former Vice President of Nigeria, Alhaji Babagana Kingibe; Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad; businessman and philanthropist Alhaji Muhammadu Indimi; businessman Sir Emeka Offor; Pro Chancellor of the University and Emir of Lafia, Justice Sidi Bage; members of the National Assembly from Borno State; and the Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar Ibn Umar Garbai El-Kanemi.
