The Chairman of the Northern States Governors’ Forum (NSGF) and Governor of Gombe State, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, has called for bold, coordinated and decisive action to tackle the worsening crisis of unequal access to quality basic education across Northern Nigeria, warning that the future of the region hangs in the balance.
Governor Inuwa Yahaya made the call on Tursday while chairing the 12th Annual Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Lecture on Leadership and Good Governance, held in Dutse, Jigawa State. The lecture, organised by the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation (SABMF), was themed “Equitable Access to Quality Basic Education in Northern Nigeria – A Time for Real Action.”
Describing the theme as timely, the NSGF chairman said it reflected the enduring vision and legacy of the late Premier of Northern Nigeria, Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto, who prioritised education as a foundation for unity, development and prosperity.
He noted that the lecture was coming shortly after Nigeria 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 national leaders. According to him, the most fitting way to honour their memory is through purposeful leadership, good governance and inclusive development.
Governor Inuwa Yahaya expressed deep concern over troubling education indicators in the North, stating that Nigeria has over 18 million out-of-school children, with about 70 per cent of them in Northern Nigeria. He added that literacy rates in some states remain below 30 per cent, while girl-child enrolment and foundational literacy and numeracy outcomes are still unacceptably low.
He stressed that education must remain a top priority for Northern leaders, disclosing that governors in the region have intensified collaboration with the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), development partners and donor agencies to improve access, infrastructure and teacher capacity.
The NSGF chairman also highlighted the establishment of the Northern Nigeria Security Trust Fund as a major intervention aimed at addressing insecurity, which he described as the biggest threat to education in the region. The fund, he said, is designed to provide sustainable financing for coordinated security efforts to safeguard schools and learning environments.
Governor Inuwa Yahaya further revealed that the Forum, in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Education, has launched initiatives such as the Nigeria Education Forum 2025 and state-level workshops on foundational learning to strengthen early-grade literacy and numeracy and return millions of children to school.
Speaking on reforms in Gombe State, the governor outlined measures taken by his administration, including the declaration of a state of emergency on education, the creation of a high-level task force on basic education revitalisation, and the implementation of a ₦13.5 billion School Improvement Grant to upgrade facilities in 442 secondary schools.
He said the state has enrolled about 450,000 out-of-school children between 2019 and 2025, expanded access to tertiary education through new university campuses, rebuilt special needs schools, paid scholarships and covered examination fees for secondary school students.
Governor Inuwa Yahaya emphasised that fixing education in Northern Nigeria is a collective responsibility, calling on parents, communities, traditional and religious leaders, the private sector and civil society organisations to play active roles.
He commended the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation for sustaining the annual lecture series and used the occasion to announce key reforms within the NSGF, including the establishment of a strengthened secretariat headed by a full-time Director-General, Mr. Ezekiel Gomos, to enhance coordination and ensure a unified Northern voice on development issues.
He also congratulated recipients of the 2026 Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Awards, describing them as worthy ambassadors of integrity, service and excellence.
In his remarks, Jigawa State Governor, Malam Umar Namadi, acknowledged the socioeconomic and security challenges confronting Northern Nigeria but said the region remains resilient. He praised Governor Inuwa Yahaya’s leadership of the NSGF, particularly the creation of the Security Trust Fund and reforms to strengthen the Forum.
Similarly, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the SABMF and former Niger State Governor, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, commended the NSGF chairman for repositioning the Forum’s secretariat and introducing measures to address the region’s socioeconomic challenges.
Vice President Kashim Shettima, who was the Special Guest of Honour at the event, delivered his remarks through the Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, Senator Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia, who represented him at the lecture.
