LAGOS, NIGERIA — An education expert has intensified calls for a major national shift in policy that prioritizes sustained investment in female education, arguing that Nigeria’s future economic growth and social stability will depend heavily on how effectively girls are educated and empowered across all levels of learning.
The educationist made the remarks on Monday, May 18, 2026, at an education-focused dialogue session held at a policy roundtable venue in Lagos, Nigeria, where policymakers, academics, and development stakeholders gathered to examine the long-term implications of persistent gender gaps in access to quality education across the country.
He explained that increasing investment in female education would not only improve national literacy levels but also strengthen productivity in the labour market, reduce intergenerational poverty, and accelerate national development outcomes across both urban and rural communities.
According to him, countries that have achieved rapid economic transformation in recent decades did so by deliberately prioritizing human capital development, with particular emphasis on ensuring that girls have equal and sustained access to quality education, vocational training, and leadership pathways.
The expert stressed that Nigeria must move beyond policy rhetoric and focus on implementation-driven strategies that ensure girls are not only enrolled in school but also supported to complete their education in environments that are safe, inclusive, and adequately resourced.
He highlighted several persistent barriers affecting female education in Nigeria, including poverty-driven school dropouts, early marriage practices in some regions, cultural restrictions, insecurity in vulnerable communities, and inadequate educational infrastructure that disproportionately impacts girls.
The discussion also underscored the increasing importance of digital literacy and STEM education, with the expert noting that girls must be adequately prepared to compete in emerging global industries shaped by technology, innovation, and digital transformation.
He warned that failure to adequately invest in female education could deepen inequality gaps, weaken national productivity, and hinder Nigeria’s ability to achieve its long-term development targets under global education and sustainability frameworks.
Participants at the event emphasized that addressing the challenge requires coordinated action across all tiers of government, including federal, state, and local authorities, alongside strong private sector participation and international development partnerships.
They called for targeted interventions such as expanded scholarship schemes for girls, improved school infrastructure, enhanced teacher training programs, community sensitization campaigns, and stronger enforcement of policies aimed at eliminating barriers to girls’ education.
The educationist concluded that female education should be treated as a strategic national investment rather than a welfare initiative, noting that educated women contribute significantly to household income, child welfare, public health outcomes, and civic participation, creating a powerful multiplier effect across society.
The session ended with a renewed consensus among stakeholders that Nigeria’s development trajectory will be strongly shaped by how urgently and effectively it prioritizes the education of its female population as a foundation for future economic transformation.
