- The Federal Government revealed that over 24 million Nigerian pupils dropped out before reaching senior secondary school.
- Educationist Daniel Ovabor called for free and compulsory education to rebuild Nigeria’s future.
- Minister of Education Tunji Alausa warned that data from the NEMIS platform shows a major dropout crisis.
- Ovabor urged leaders to remove political interference and invest more in basic education.
Nigeria’s education sector is facing a major challenge as new data shows millions of children are not completing their basic education.
The Federal Government disclosed that over 24 million pupils who started primary school dropped out before advancing to senior secondary school, a situation experts say could harm the country’s long-term development.
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Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, speaking in Abuja during a ministerial roundtable on zero-rated data and devices for Nigerian teachers, said statistics from the Nigeria Education Management Information System (NEMIS) reveal an alarming pattern. Out of 30 million pupils recorded across 21 states, only six million made it to senior secondary school.
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“The information we’re seeing on the digital platform is scary,” Alausa said. “From primary school to JSS1, the number drops from 30 million to 10 million, meaning 20 million pupils have disappeared from the system. From JSS1 to senior secondary, another four million are gone. Now that we can see the scale of the problem, we can start applying evidence-based solutions.”
The minister added that NEMIS, a digital platform for collecting and tracking school data, will help identify where children are dropping out and guide government intervention. He also noted that by 2026, Nigeria’s annual school census will become fully digital to improve accuracy and transparency.
Reacting to the crisis, Chief Daniel Ovabor, an educationist, said the figures show the urgent need for free and compulsory education. Speaking at the 50th anniversary of Spring Private School and Bosede Idehen International Academy in Lagos, he said political interference and weak leadership have prevented real progress in education.
“You will see a parent who can barely afford a meal still struggling to pay school fees,” Ovabor said. “Education is the one thing that can lift people out of poverty. The government must make it free and compulsory from kindergarten to secondary level and invest in it heavily.”
He also stressed the importance of early childhood education, explaining that missing foundational years makes it harder for children to catch up later in life. Ovabor praised the resilience of Nigerian parents, saying they have carried the burden of funding education where the government has failed.
Highlighting his school’s achievements, Ovabor said his institution blends Nigerian and American curricula, producing graduates who excel globally. “Our students are doing well in universities and workplaces around the world. The goal is to raise children who can contribute meaningfully to national development,” he said.
Director of the schools, Mrs. Maureen Idehen-Ovabor, added that preparing students for global competitiveness remains their mission. “We teach our students in multiple languages, English, French, and Spanish to help them stand out internationally,” she explained.
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She also revealed that the school uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools to enhance learning. “Our notes are AI-generated and updated weekly to meet global standards. We want our students to be educationally sound and ready to compete anywhere in the world,” she added.
Both Ovabor and Idehen-Ovabor agreed that quality education remains the foundation for building a better Nigeria and called on the government to act swiftly before more children are lost to illiteracy and poverty.
