The Federal Government of Nigeria, through the Ministry of Finance, has signed a $62.8 million Memorandum of Understanding with the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) to support the Reaching Out-of-School Children (ROOSC) project in Kaduna State. This is the Kuwait Fund’s first intervention in Nigeria and is aimed at expanding access to quality education.
The signing took place with the Honourable Minister of State for Finance, Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite, representing the Federal Ministry of Finance, while H.E. Dr. Waleed Al-Bahar, Director General of the Kuwait Fund, signed on behalf of the organization.
Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State said, “Since May 29, 2023, our administration has made education a cornerstone of development. In 2024, we allocated 25% of Kaduna State’s budget to education, rising to 26.14% in 2025. We have built 60 new secondary schools, constructed 700 classrooms, renovated over 1,049 classrooms, reduced tuition in state-owned tertiary institutions by 50%, and established three modern vocational institutes aligned with the Federal Government’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) agenda.”
With more than 18 million children still out of school in Nigeria, the ROOSC project is designed to address barriers to education and reintegrate marginalized children into the formal learning system. The initiative aligns with Sustainable Development Goal 4 and was developed in partnership with local and international stakeholders.
According to the Governor, Kaduna State has fulfilled 100% of its counterpart funding obligations. The project will see the construction of 102 climate-resilient schools and the rehabilitation of 170 learning centres across all 23 local government areas.
Special focus will be placed on school safety, inclusive education, and support for girls, children with disabilities, and internally displaced children.
Governor Sani expressed appreciation to the project’s partners, including the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development, the Islamic Development Bank, the Global Partnership for Education, Education Above All Foundation, Save the Children International, and UNICEF.
He also acknowledged the support of the Honourable Minister of Finance, the Honourable Minister of State for Finance, and the Honourable Minister of Education.
“Kaduna remains fully committed to transparent, accountable implementation as we work to ensure quality education for every child,” the Governor stated.