UNIMAID at 50: Shettima Reaffirms FG’s Commitment to Transforming Nigeria’s Education Sector
Vice-President Kashim Shettima has reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to transforming Nigeria’s education sector through increased funding, structural reforms and renewed policy direction.
Shettima spoke on Saturday at the 50th anniversary celebration of the University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID), Borno State, where he emphasized that the administration of President Bola Tinubu is determined to reposition the country within the global knowledge economy.
He warned that Nigeria cannot remain competitive internationally if its universities continue to suffer from chronic underfunding. According to him, sustained investment in education has become central to national development and security under the Tinubu administration.
“Today, there is a shared national understanding that education is the most reliable vehicle for development. It is the immune system of the nation,” he said.
“It fuels economic mobility, lifts families out of poverty, strengthens social cohesion, deepens democratic culture and fortifies national security.”
Shettima noted that the government is aligning its budgetary decisions with long-term national goals. He revealed that the 2025 budget allocated N3.5 trillion to education—7.3 per cent of the national budget—representing an increase from the previous year.
He highlighted several initiatives, including support for mechanised farming programmes in universities, grants for medical education and expanded entrepreneurial schemes to equip students for a modern economy.
However, the vice-president acknowledged persistent challenges such as underfunding, staff shortages, brain drain, outdated curricula and inadequate research financing. He said the government is responding through digital transformation, curriculum reforms, national education databases, research development and skills-based learning.
Reflecting on insecurity in the North-East, Shettima recalled that more than 500 schools were attacked in Borno State between 2009 and 2021. Despite this, he said, the state has achieved significant recovery, with 877,777 learners enrolled in public schools as of March 2025. He also cited government support covering WAEC fees for over 26,000 students and daily school feeding costing about N122 million.
“When terrorists attacked our schools, they were trying to kill the future. But Borno chose hope over fear and education over darkness,” he said.
Shettima added that President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda places education at the centre of Nigeria’s economic and social renewal by linking learning to job creation, poverty reduction, national stability and security.
Tracing UNIMAID’s origins to the Third National Development Plan (1975–1980), Shettima described the institution as a symbol of resilience and a beacon of learning in the Sahel despite years of security challenges.
“This university stands today not as a victim of the storms it endured, but as a lighthouse in the Sahel,” he said. “The wealth of a nation lies not in gold or oil, but in the minds of its people.”
In his remarks, Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum praised the university’s contributions to the state’s human capital development and announced scholarships for 200 lecturers to pursue further studies.
Adamawa State Governor Umaru Fintiri also announced a donation of N1.8 billion on behalf of North-East states to support the university’s endowment fund, describing the move as part of efforts to expand funding sources through partnerships.
Vice-Chancellor Prof. Mohammed Mele said the anniversary marked decades of resilience and achievement despite the impact of insurgency. He called for stronger collaboration with the private sector to complement government funding and sustain the university’s progress across various fields.
