Nigeria to Survey Out-of-School Children Nationwide

The Federal Government of Nigeria, represented by Dr. Tunji Alausa, the Federal Minister of Education, announced plans to conduct a comprehensive nationwide household survey aimed at establishing accurate figures for the number of school children in Nigeria.

This initiative was disclosed during the 2026 Annual Education Summit held in Abuja. Dr.

Alausa acknowledged that existing estimates of out-of-school children no longer reflect current realities and stressed the importance of replacing assumptions with credible, evidence-based statistics. The survey will provide a clearer picture of the magnitude and distribution of challenges in the education sector, enabling the government to design targeted interventions to improve access to education.

Dr. Alausa noted that while the government has successfully returned millions of school children to classrooms over the past two years, obtaining accurate data remains critical for measuring progress.

The summit also featured discussions on educational reforms and the need for collaboration among stakeholders to address challenges in the education sector.