Former Minister of Aviation, Chief Osita Chidoka, has criticised Nigeria’s low investment in education, warning that the country lags far behind comparable nations in per-student spending.
Speaking at the college of the Immaculate Conception Alumni Association annual lecture in Enugu, Chidoka said Nigeria spends less than $50 per student each year. By contrast, he noted, Singapore and South Korea spend more than $10,000, while South Africa and Egypt allocate about $4,000 and $1,000, respectively.
He argued that the shortfall in funding undermines the ability of Nigerian schools to produce graduates who can compete globally. “Even with recent state-level initiatives, the per-student expenditure remains far below what is required to build future-ready citizens,” he said.
Chidoka proposed a new partnership model, blending government support, alumni contributions and school fees, to strengthen public schools. He suggested that South-east governors upgrade legacy institutions into elite, STEM-focused boarding schools to serve as national models. He added that with greater investment and accountability, Nigeria could, within a decade, produce graduates skilled in robotics, coding and engineering—equipped to thrive in a digital economy.
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