Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri of Adamawa State has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to the World Bank–supported Better Education Service Delivery for All (BESDA) programme, pledging continued collaboration to strengthen the state’s education sector.
Fintiri made the pledge on Tuesday evening when he received a World Bank delegation on a working visit to the Government House in Yola.
He said the state government was working tirelessly to ensure that the BESDA programme was implemented effectively and transparently, adding that every intended benefit would reach the people.
The governor thanked the World Bank for its continuous support but appealed for a fairer share of funding, noting that Adamawa had suffered severe setbacks from insecurity that destroyed many schools and education infrastructure.
Fintiri expressed satisfaction that the delegation’s field assessment did not record negative findings and assured that the state would remain transparent and accountable in all partnership projects.
He added that his administration would continue to build modern schools, equip teachers with learning tools, and fast-track delayed education programmes to ensure lasting impact for children across the state.
The governor also urged the World Bank to accelerate project approvals to enable ongoing education programmes to progress faster and deliver long-term results.
Speaking with journalists after the meeting, the World Bank Senior Economist and Team Lead for Education Programs in Nigeria, Mr. Shin Nomura, said the mission was in Adamawa to assess ongoing education projects and strengthen implementation.
Nomura, who was on his first visit to the state, expressed satisfaction with the progress recorded under the BESDA Additional Financing (BESDA-AF) and Technical Education, Skills, and Training Advancement (TESTA) programmes.
He said the team observed significant improvement in school construction, teacher support, and community participation, describing the progress as encouraging.
The economist noted that although the project had achieved much, one year remained before its completion in October 2026. He said the mission would help review progress and ensure that remaining activities were completed as planned.
Nomura emphasized that the World Bank’s investment in education formed part of its broader commitment to human capital development, which he described as key to sustainable economic growth, peace, and stability.
He added that supporting children with access to quality education would reduce the number of out-of-school children and protect them from negative societal influences.
Nomura commended the Adamawa State Government for its strong partnership and urged other states to share experiences and best practices. He also revealed that the World Bank would soon introduce a new initiative — the HOPE Education Programme — which would build on lessons learned from ongoing BESDA activities.
