The Chairman of the Northern States Governors’ Forum (NSGF) and Governor of Gombe State, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, CON, has called for bold, collective action to confront the growing crisis of unequal access to quality basic education in Northern Nigeria, warning that continued inaction could jeopardise the region’s future.
Governor Inuwa Yahaya made the call while delivering an address as Chairman of the Occasion at the 12th Annual Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Lecture on Leadership and Good Governance, held in Dutse, Jigawa State. The lecture was themed “Equitable Access to Quality Basic Education in Northern Nigeria – A Time for Real Action.”
He described the theme as timely and aligned with the vision of the late Sardauna of Sokoto, Sir Ahmadu Bello, noting that education remains the most powerful tool for unity, development and long-term prosperity in the North and across Nigeria.
The Governor recalled that the lecture took place shortly after the nation marked the 60th anniversary of the January 15, 1966 coup, which claimed the lives of Sir Ahmadu Bello, Prime Minister Abubakar Tafawa Balewa and other prominent national figures
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Expressing concern over grim education indicators, Inuwa Yahaya revealed that Nigeria has more than 18 million out-of-school children, with about 70 per cent concentrated in Northern Nigeria. He added that literacy rates in some Northern states are still below 30 per cent, while girl-child enrolment and foundational literacy and numeracy outcomes remain worryingly low.
He stressed that education must remain a top priority for Northern leaders, adding that the NSGF has intensified collaboration with the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), development partners and donor agencies to expand access, improve school infrastructure and strengthen teacher capacity.
The Governor also highlighted the establishment of the Northern Nigeria Security Trust Fund as a strategic response to insecurity, which he described as the biggest threat to education in the region. According to him, the fund is aimed at providing sustainable financing for coordinated security efforts to safeguard schools and learning environments.
Inuwa Yahaya further disclosed that the Forum, in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Education, has rolled out initiatives such as the Nigeria Education Forum 2025 and state-level workshops on foundational learning to boost early-grade literacy and numeracy and return millions of children to school.
Speaking on Gombe State’s interventions, he outlined key reforms including the declaration of a state of emergency on education, the creation of a high-powered task force for basic education revitalisation, and the launch of a ₦13.5 billion School Improvement Grant to upgrade facilities in 442 secondary schools.
He added that between 2019 and 2025, Gombe State enrolled about 450,000 out-of-school children, expanded higher education through new university campuses, rebuilt special needs schools, paid scholarships and covered examination fees for secondary school students.
The Governor emphasised that solving the education crisis in the North requires the collective responsibility of governments, parents, communities, traditional and religious leaders, the private sector and civil society organisations. He commended the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation for sustaining the annual lecture series.