In a bold move to transform the landscape of basic education in Nigeria, the Federal Government has officially launched the HOPE-Education programme, a $552 million nationwide initiative aimed at tackling learning poverty, empowering educators, and improving school infrastructure across the country.
The Human Capital Opportunities for Prosperity and Equity (HOPE) project, co-financed by the World Bank and the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), was unveiled in Abuja earlier this week. With its eyes set on nationwide impact, the HOPE-Education initiative seeks to reach 29 million Nigerian children, train 500,000 public school teachers, and upgrade 65,000 public schools and 10,000 non-formal learning centres across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
At the core of the HOPE-Education programme is a mission to bridge the gap in foundational literacy and numeracy, boost digital learning adoption, and create inclusive, safe, and gender-sensitive learning environments especially for girls, displaced children, and those in underserved communities.
Speaking during the official launch, Minister of Education, highlighted the urgency of foundational reforms:
“By the end of this programme, we aim to reach 29 million children, empower 500,000 public school teachers, and strengthen 65,000 schools and 10,000 non-formal learning centres. Our goal is to build a nation where every child has access to quality education and the opportunity to thrive.”
The HOPE project isn’t just about education. It’s a multi-sectoral framework with additional arms like:
- HOPE-Health, targeting primary healthcare improvements
- HOPE-Gov, focused on improving governance systems and accountability in public services
Together, these components work to deliver long-term human capital development by integrating education, health, and institutional reform in a coordinated, high-impact strategy.
At the launch event, other top officials present included:
- Wale Edun, Minister of Finance
- Atiku Bagudu, Minister of Budget and Economic Planning
- Dr. Muhammad Ali Pate, Minister of Health
- Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, Minister of Women Affairs
They each emphasized the urgency of implementing sustainable reforms that will not only support academic development but also reduce poverty, enhance productivity, and ensure equity in access to learning opportunities.
With over 10 million Nigerian children out of school, the HOPE-Education programme arrives at a critical time in the country’s development journey. By addressing infrastructure gaps, teacher capacity, and inclusivity, the project hopes to drive Nigeria closer to UN SDG 4 (Quality Education) and set the foundation for a globally competitive, digitally empowered youth population.
