In a powerful display of shared resolve, NewGlobe, the leading education-technology partner across Africa, and the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) have forged ahead with a national discourse aimed squarely at resolving Nigeria’s foundational learning crisis. The rallying point: the 2025 State-Level Workshop on Foundational Learning and Out-of-School Children, recently held in Abuja.
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The Context: A Nation Confronts an Education Emergency
The workshop unfolded amid unsettling data. According to UNICEF, Nigeria now counts over 10 million out-of-school children, the highest figure worldwide. Meanwhile, the World Bank reports that a staggering three out of four Nigerian children cannot read or comprehend a basic passage by the time they’re ten years old. Despite rising enrolment rates, far too many students are exiting the system without grasping even the most essential literacy or numeracy skills.
Participants at the workshop, convened through a joint effort between NGF and NewGlobe, did not shy away from diagnosing the roots of the crisis. They identified structural flaws—including the sidelining of the teaching profession, disjointed policy implementation, chronic underfunding, and a misdirected focus on infrastructure rather than learning outcomes.
A Stark Warning Meets Clear Hope
Delivering a sharp declaration on behalf of NewGlobe, Mrs Ifeyinwa Ugochukwu, Vice-President for Policy and Partnerships, issued a sobering yet energising call to action:
“If we do not act quickly and deliberately, we will be too late for millions of children.”
She called the situation “a system-wide emergency”, stressing that transformative change is within reach—but only with the right tools, training, and data. “We’re supporting states to build resilient, future-ready education systems that deliver measurable results because Nigeria’s children deserve nothing less than a system that works for every learner.”
A Proven Model: Technology, Data, Structure
At the heart of NewGlobe’s vision lies a structured, science-based system designed to elevate public basic education from within. This model equips teachers and education leaders with real-time digital tools, carefully detailed lesson guides, continuous coaching, and performance dashboards that ensure instructional fidelity and accountability. Crucially, this approach is aligned with Nigeria’s national curriculum.
State Success Stories: Concrete Gains in Learning and Enrolment
Several states have already begun to reap the benefits of these data-driven, tech-powered interventions:
- Bayelsa (BayelsaPRIME): Literacy soared by 20 percentage points in just nineteen weeks, while pupil enrolment leapt from 25,000 to over 40,000.
- Kwara (KwaraLEARN): Foundational learning deficits were halved in under two years, with more than 60,000 additional pupils enrolled.
- Lagos (EKOEXCEL): The state now boasts one of the country’s lowest learning deprivation rates. Independent assessments show that students in NewGlobe-partnered schools achieve learning gains of up to 53% higher than their peers in traditional schools.
From Governors to Federal Agencies: Leadership Aligns
Representing Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State, NGF’s Education Advisor, Leo The Great, emphasised that access alone is not enough.
“Access does not equal learning. Many children sit in classrooms but leave unable to read, write, or do basic arithmetic. The priority is not more schools, but ensuring every child is truly learning. In 2025, we should have daily visibility into every public school.”
He also noted that structured pedagogy has sparked tangible behavioural change across participating states, with teacher feedback improving by more than 200 per cent.
At the federal level, UBEC Executive Secretary Aisha Garba echoed the call for unity and clarity:
“We are here to work for one client, the Nigerian child… Access remains our biggest challenge, and intervention funds must respond to real needs, not just check boxes for classrooms.”
A Shared Mission: Scaling Up for Every Nigerian Child
Mrs Ugochukwu reaffirmed NewGlobe’s broadened ambitions:
“Our mission is clear: to bridge foundational learning gaps and help build future-ready education systems that truly serve Nigeria’s children. We are proud of the progress achieved with our current state partners, but the need is national. We are ready to support more states committed to transforming learning outcomes.”
Across federal, state, and agency levels—including collaboration with the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) and UBEC—NewGlobe’s approach ensures alignment with national education priorities while laying the groundwork for scalable, sustainable reform.
Real Change Is Underway—With Eyes on the National Horizon
As Nigeria confronts the formidable twin challenges of learning poverty and ever-rising out-of-school numbers, the workshop offered both urgent wake-up calls and hopeful evidence. With leadership, political will, and proven, replicable tools, systemic transformation isn’t just a possibility—it’s already in motion.
The message is clear: educational progress must reach beyond getting children into classrooms; it must ensure they emerge capable, curious, and confident. A fresh era of public education in Nigeria may just be within our grasp—and with it, a future where every child truly learns.
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