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Education Is Nigeria’s Lifeline In A Fiercely Competitive World – Gbajabiamila
…urge bold rethink as leaders gather to reshape the future of learning
By Gloria Ikibah
The Chief of Staff to the President and former Speaker 9th House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila has said that education remains Nigeria’s surest path to survival and global relevance.
Addressing participants at a high-level stakeholder roundtable on the Future of Education in Nigeria, to commemorate the 2026 International Day for Education on Monday in Abuja, themed “Re-imagining the Future of Education in Nigeria: Collaborative Solutions for a Brighter Tomorrow”, Gbajabiamila stressed the urgent need to reposition the nation’s schools to meet the demands of a rapidly changing world.
The gathering, drew policymakers, educationists and development partners committed to reforming the sector.
He applauded the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, for spearheading the conference, describing the initiative as a clear demonstration of the legislature’s commitment to national progress through educational advancement.
Gbajabiamila maintained that education must be viewed as far more than just another arm of the economy. For a country with Nigeria’s size and ambitions, he argued, it represents the foundation of long-term stability, prosperity and international competitiveness.
“Education is the bridge between potential and productivity; between aspiration and achievement,” he said, stressing that no country can compete globally without sustained investment in learning.
Reflecting on his time as Speaker of the 9th House of Representatives, Gbajabiamila highlighted his role in championing the Students’ Loans Bill, an initiative designed to remove financial barriers that prevent capable young Nigerians from pursuing tertiary education.
The legislation, he noted, was driven by the principle that opportunity should rest on merit and ability rather than social standing or wealth.
He pointed out that within the first three months of the current administration, Bola Ahmed Tinubu gave assent to the bill, clearing the path for the creation of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund and signalling early intent to prioritise access to higher learning.
The development, he suggested, aligns squarely with the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda, placing education at the heart of its broader reform strategy.
He also commended the 10th House of Representatives for intensifying oversight of tertiary education financing, backing measures to improve student welfare and advancing reforms aimed at strengthening transparency and accountability across the sector.
In his view, the legislature has demonstrated that its role extends beyond passing laws, positioning itself as a critical partner in steering Nigeria’s long-term development.
“As Chief of Staff to the President, you can always count on my support. Education will remain central to the Renewed Hope Agenda,” he said.
He urged participants to move beyond dialogue and generate actionable recommendations to improve funding efficiency, strengthen oversight, and ensure that existing laws reflect present realities.
“Nigeria’s brightest tomorrow will be built in the classrooms we strengthen today,” he added.
In her opening address, Special Adviser to the Speaker on International Cooperation and Educational Development, Abisoye Da Rocha-Afodu, traced the origins of the International Day of Education to its proclamation by the United Nations General Assembly in 2018, a move intended to affirm education as a basic human right.
She drew attention to the scale of Nigeria’s education crisis, noting that more than 20 million children remain out of school — the highest figure worldwide. Among the persistent obstacles, she listed inadequate infrastructure, low teacher morale and welfare, outdated curricula and limited access to digital tools, all of which continue to hamper progress.
The conference, she explained, was designed to convene legislators, policymakers, development agencies and key stakeholders to chart practical, lasting responses to these challenges. Stronger collaboration between government bodies, private enterprise and local communities was identified as critical to widening access to quality, inclusive learning, particularly for girls and people living with disabilities.
On safeguarding public resources, she indicated that the House is advancing legislative proposals aimed at ensuring regular scrutiny and transparent use of funds allocated to education programmes.
Also Chairman House Committee on Federal Polytechnic and Higher Technical Education, Rep. Fuad Laguda, said the conference offered an opportunity to assess Nigeria’s education system against international benchmarks.
He noted that funding remains one of the most pressing challenges confronting the sector, particularly polytechnics and higher technical institutions.
Laguda stressed that collaboration was essential to meaningful reform, pointing out that participants from diverse sectors gathered to build synergy and chart a common path forward.
He added that any nation seeking sustainable development must invest heavily in education, stressing that Nigeria must raise its ambitions if it hopes to compete effectively on the global stage.
Although the International Day of Education is marked globally on 24 January, the event was rescheduled for February owing to the National Assembly’s January recess. The adjusted timing was also intended to allow for deeper engagement ahead of Ramadan and to focus attention on pressing concerns around funding, security and accountability within the sector.
Midnight fire on Saturday destroyed more than 10 shops at the Terminus Market in Jos, Plateau State.
Witnesses said that the incident occurred around 10:00 p.m., after traders had closed for the day.
The latest incident comes three months after a section of the market was gutted by a similar night fire.
Our correspondent, who visited the market on Sunday morning, reports that more than 10 shops were affected, with clothes and shoes burnt to ashes.
The cause of the fire could not be immediately confirmed by market authorities, though some victims suggested it might have been caused by an electrical fault.
Firefighters and emergency responders were said to have acted swiftly to contain the blaze, preventing what many feared could have escalated into a major disaster.
A witness, Mr. Silas Lawrenzo, said that firefighters, including a team from the National Emergency Management Agency, worked alongside the Plateau State Emergency Management Agency, Federal Fire Service, and the Plateau State Fire Service to bring the fire under control.
He said the coordinated and rapid response helped contain the flames, limiting damage and preventing the fire from spreading across the busy commercial hub.
The media reports that the market has experienced three separate fire incidents in the past year, destroying goods worth millions of naira.
The Inspector General of Police,Olatunji Rilwan Disu, has hailed the professionalism of Nigerian journalists and corrected a misconception about their roles in society cautioning that they should not be treated like beggars, instead accorded the full compliments of professionals deserving of respect
The IGP who commended Federal capital Territory journalists and sought stronger police- media partnership when he spoke as a special guest at the FCT NUJ council congress Saturday, said he has always had a mutually beneficial relationship with the media, recognising their professionalism that is deserving of respect and therefore they should never be treated as beggars
The calm and ever- smiling police chief said, “I have always had a respectful and mutually beneficial relationship with journalists. They are professionals who deserve respect and should never be treated as beggars,”
Disu commended them for their role in informing the public and contributing to national development, describing his relationship with the media as one built on mutual respect and professionalism.
He emphasised that journalists should be regarded as respected professionals rather than beggars, noting that the media plays a critical role in society, while calling for stronger collaboration between the police and the media, stressing that a healthy partnership would enhance public trust and improve security communication.
The police chief further urged both police officers and journalists to conduct themselves responsibly at all times, noting that good conduct leaves lasting impressions in society.
Responding, Chairman of the NUJ FCT Council, Comrade Grace Ike, congratulated the new IGP on his appointment and described him as a longstanding friend of the press.
She expressed confidence in his leadership and assured him of the council’s readiness to collaborate with the police in reporting security matters objectively
Ike also revealed that the IGP would be invited as a special guest to the council’s 2026 Press Week celebration.
She reaffirmed the commitment of the NUJ FCT Council to promoting responsible journalism and supporting initiatives aimed at strengthening security and governance in the territory.
The Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, was today honoured with the *Outstanding Agency of the Year Award 2025* by Champions Newspaper at its 2025 Awards ceremony held in Lagos.
The Managing Director, who was represented by the General Manager, Corporate Affairs, *Mr. Ikechukwu Onyemekara*, described the award as recognition of his vigorous leadership in implementing smart initiatives that align with the NPA’s vision to become the *Maritime Logistics Hub for Sustainable Port Services in Africa*.
Mr. Ikechukwu Onyemekara, the Authority’s Spokesman, highlighted the invaluable support of the *Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, His Excellency Dr. Adegboyega Oyetola*, which has been instrumental in achieving these remarkable successes. Key highlights include:
– Sustained port efficiencies contributing to Nigeria’s year-on-year trade surplus of ₦7.5 trillion and ₦6.7 trillion in Q2 and Q3 2025 (per NBS and NESG reports), driven mainly by exports via NPA platforms.
– Successful execution of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s policy for crude and petroleum product sales in Naira, saving billions in FOREX, enhancing energy security, improving trade balance, and creating jobs.
– Completion of Nigeria’s membership in the International Port Community System Association (IPCSA), paving the way for the National Single Window (NSW) project.
– Technical guidance enabling a significant rise in transhipment cargo at Lekki Deep Seaport, serving landlocked neighbours and recovering cargo lost to competing ports.
– Pioneering election of a Nigerian agency as President of the Port Management Association of West & Central Africa (PMAWCA) since 1972, with Dr. Dantsoho also leading PAPC, boosting Nigeria’s diplomatic standing and securing re-admission to IMO Category C.
These successes position NPA to deliver major 2025 projects, including the $1 billion reconstruction of Tincan Island Port Complex, rehabilitation of key ports, new deep seaport developments, and eco-friendly operations.
Champions Newspaper conferred the award in appreciation of NPA’s pivotal role as a leading trade facilitation platform driving national economic prosperity through Nigeria’s maritime endowments.
Midnight fire engulfs Jos main market destroying ten shops
Journalists are professionals deserving Respect- IGP Disu
NPA wins Champions Newspaper’s “Outstanding Agency of the Year Award 2025”
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