Federal Government Advocates Budget Alignment for Education

The Federal Government of Nigeria has called on state governments to align their budgets with development plans and sector priorities to improve basic education and primary healthcare services. Deborah Odoh, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, made this statement on Monday in Abuja.

She highlighted that credible budgeting must reflect government priorities and planned activities, especially in light of the Universal Basic Education Commission's report indicating that about 70 percent of Nigerian children of primary school age cannot read and understand a simple text. Odoh spoke at a technical capacity-building workshop on Disbursement-Linked Indicator 2 of the Human Capital Opportunities for Prosperity and Equity Governance Programme, known as HOPE-GOV.

She noted that the 2027 budget process is an opportunity for states to strengthen the connection between their development plans and budgets. The workshop aimed to help states review their plans and budgets to identify gaps and improve implementation, emphasizing collaboration across various state institutions.