Sub-Saharan Africa, including Nigeria, is facing a significant education funding gap, with countries spending an average of just $54 per student annually. In contrast, high-income nations allocate about $8,500 per student. This stark disparity in education spending is highlighted in the World Bank’s **Africa Pulse Report (November 2024)**, which underscores the region’s continued struggle to meet national and global education goals. Despite recent increases in investment, the funding remains insufficient to address critical challenges like the lack of textbooks, teaching materials, and technology in schools.
The report reveals that a girl in Sub-Saharan Africa attends school for an average of just eight years by the time she turns 18, compared to 13 years in high-income countries. It also shows that total spending on education in Sub-Saharan Africa is far lower, with governments in high-income countries investing $117,000 per student by age 18, while the figure stands at only $1,900 in Sub-Saharan Africa.
A significant portion of Sub-Saharan Africa’s education budgets is spent on salaries, leaving little room for investing in learning resources and improving infrastructure. The World Bank warns that this underinvestment threatens the region’s economic future, as Sub-Saharan Africa has a rapidly growing youth population. Closing the funding gap is crucial to ensure that education systems can help the region fully capitalize on its demographic potential.
In Nigeria, the Federal Government and 22 states have earmarked N6.131 trillion for education in the 2025 budget, representing only 9.27% of the total planned budget, which falls short of the recommended benchmarks. The World Bank calls for urgent action to boost education spending, improve resource allocation, and ensure quality education, particularly for girls, to unlock economic opportunities. Additionally, it emphasizes the importance of foundational literacy, skills training, and transitioning youth into employment to achieve long-term economic growth.
The report highlights that an additional year of schooling in Sub-Saharan Africa increases individual incomes by 12.4%, with women benefiting even more (14.5%), reinforcing the importance of investing in education for economic development.
