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The World Bank has raised concerns over the declining proportion of funds allocated to education by Nigerian state governments, despite a significant increase in their revenue between 2023 and 2025.
According to the bank’s latest Nigeria Development Update, state governments recorded a 93 per cent rise in revenue in real terms during the period, while their total expenditure increased by approximately 92 per cent.
The report attributed the revenue growth to economic reforms, including the removal of petrol subsidies, foreign exchange adjustments, improved tax collection and increased allocations from the Federation Account. States also benefited from tax refunds, intervention funds and the settlement of outstanding federal obligations.
Despite the additional financial resources, education accounted for just 12.1 per cent of total state expenditure in 2025, down from 14.9 per cent in 2021. Health spending remained relatively stable at about seven per cent, while the share devoted to social protection rose from 1.4 per cent to 4.4 per cent.
The World Bank noted that state governments had channelled a substantial portion of their increased resources into infrastructure, particularly transportation. Capital expenditure’s share of total spending rose from 46 per cent to 61 per cent, with housing and agriculture also receiving increased investment.
The bank urged state governments to strengthen financial accountability, improve spending efficiency and invest more in education, healthcare and other essential public services. It stressed that increased government revenue should translate into better living conditions, improved human capital development and more employment opportunities for Nigerians.
