Benue, Nasarawa Lead North-Central in 2026 Education Budgets, But Short of National Benchmark

Six states in Nigeria's North-Central region have failed to meet the 26 per cent education funding benchmark stipulated by the National Policy on Education, according to a review of their 2026 budgets. However, Benue and Nasarawa stand out as the leading states in the region for their budgetary allocations to the education sector.

Benue State, under Governor Hyacinth Alia, has presented the highest education budget share in the region, dedicating 21.4 per cent of its N695.01 billion budget to education. A significant capital project within this allocation is the planned rehabilitation and renovation of classrooms, offices, libraries, and sanitary facilities across various schools, with an outlay of N3.06 billion scheduled for 2026. This marks an increase from its 2025 allocation, which was 14.1 per cent of a N550.11 billion budget.

Nasarawa State, led by Governor Abdullahi Sule, ranks second in the region, allocating 17.3 per cent of its N545.18 billion budget to education. This is particularly noteworthy given the state's challenge with a high prevalence of out-of-school children, reported at 25.4 per cent. The state's top education initiative for 2026 is the continued construction of smart model schools in Lafia, with an allocation of N7.97 billion. This represents an increase from its 2025 education budget.

Kogi State, under Governor Ahmed Ododo, follows closely, earmarking 17.1 per cent of its N820.49 billion budget for education in 2026, amounting to N169.99 billion. The most substantial education project in Kogi is the N3 billion allocated for constructing the Faculty of Science at Kogi State University, Kabba.

In contrast, Kwara State's education investment for 2026 has seen a decrease. Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq's administration has allocated N103.71 billion to education, which constitutes 15.8 per cent of the state's N656.6 billion budget. The state plans to use N32.49 billion for school construction and rehabilitation across its local government areas.

Niger State, governed by Mohammed Bago, boasts the largest overall budget in the North-Central region for 2026, totaling N1.07 trillion. However, its allocation to education is a more modest 13.6 per cent, amounting to N145.77 billion. A major project in this sector is the N9.22 billion provision for two lecture theatres at the IBB University.

Plateau State, led by Governor Caleb Mutfwang, has the lowest education budget share in the region for 2026. It has allocated N91.3 billion, representing 11.2 per cent of its N817.51 billion budget, to education. The largest education-related expenditure is a N14 billion matching grant for constructing 101 classroom blocks.

These figures, while showing increased attention from Benue and Nasarawa, still fall significantly short of the 26 per cent international benchmark recommended for education funding.