SECTION 2. COUNTRY STUDY: NIGERIA

PHOTO: TOM SAATER/ACTIONAID

Nigeria. With approximately 202 million people, Nigeria accounts for about half of West Africa’s population, is the most populous country in Africa,50 and has one of the largest youth populations in the world. A multi-ethnic and culturally diverse federation, Nigeria consists of 36 autonomous States, the Federal Capital Territory, and 774 local governments. States and local governments manage their own education systems, and though core funding and key strategies and policies come from the Federal Government, the Federal Ministry of Education does not play a strong role in delivery.

Despite an abundance of natural resources, including oil and gas,51 and though the country’s economy has grown dramatically in recent years,52 Nigeria has very low levels of investment in basic public services, including education. Nigeria has the highest number of out-of-school children in the world, with the latest data putting the figure at around 10.5 million,53 and the percentage of children out of primary school has barely changed from 37% in 1999 to 34% in 2010.xi

Inequalities based on wealth are also prevalent in education. For instance, of the poorest children, only 35% complete primary and 15% secondary school, compared to 97% and 88% of the wealthiest.54 The IMF states that policy action to address these challenges is urgent and should not be delayed, including financing the growing need for education and health services that are already under strain at current population levels.55