Israel Umoh
Akwa Ibom is among the states in the country that has fallen below the benchmark recommended by UNESCO in the budgetary allocation for education in the 2026 financial year.
Coming under Low Priority and Under-Benchmark, Imo, Lagos, and Delta are among others allocating less than 10 per cent for education against 15-20 per cent of the total public expenditure recommended by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Akwa Ibom State’s proposed budget for 2026 is N1.39 trillion, entitled The People’s Budget of Expansion and Growth.
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Of the amount, the state budgeted N31.6 billion or 2.27 per cent for Education in the 2026 Financial Year.
This is against N955 billion or 6.3 per cent of the total capital outlay for 2025 as passed by the State House of Assembly.
This is as the Akwa Ibom collected a whopping N348.62 billion from January to August 2025.
An unpublished survey carried out by Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Akwa Ibom State Council and seen by Straightnews shows that most buildings including facilities are in a state of dilapidation while teachers are in deficit in public primary and secondary schools in the state.
However, Anambra leads with nearly 47 per cent of its 2026 budget for education followed by Enugu, Kano, Jigawa allocating a high share over 25 per cent to education.
Yet, Anambra collected N111.85 billion and Enugu got N92.71 billion respectively from January to July, 2025, according to The Punch Newspapers and Nairametrics.
States Education Allocation (N) % Total Budget Notes
Anambra N355.5 bn (N757 bn) 46.9% Highest share of all states
Enugu N522 bn 32.3% Largest single sector share
Kano N405.3 bn 30% Strong commitment to education
Jigawa N234.48 bn 26% Above international benchmarks
Kaduna N246.25 bn 25% One of top state allocations
Abia N203.2 bn 20% Meets minimum benchmark
Taraba N131.6 bn 20% Strong mid-range allocation
Kogi N45.26 bn 18% Moderate allocation
Katsina N156.3 bn 17–17.4% Highest sector share in state budget
Oyo N155.21 bn 17.4% Moderate share
Nasarawa N92.91 bn 17.05% Moderate share
Ogun N275.4 bn 17% Sectoral breakdown available
Kebbi N105 bn 16% Moderate share
Bauchi N131.71 bn 15% Around benchmark
Ondo N77.024 bn 15% Around benchmark
Sokoto N115.9 bn 15% Around benchmark
Adamawa N40 bn 6.9% Below benchmarks
Bayelsa N75.1 bn 7.4% Low allocation
Delta N105.086 bn 6.1% Low share
Gombe N49.482 bn 8.0% Below benchmark
Lagos N249 bn 5.9% Despite economy size, low share
Niger N107.9 bn 8.2% Lower share
Zamfara N65 bn 7.6% Low percentage.
Akwa Ibom N31.6 bn 2.3% Lowest among reported.
Imo N60.623 bn 4.2% Very low priority
Cross River N/A — Education often in social services total
Edo N/A —Embedded in social services; figures not reported separately
Plateau N/A — Reported under social services
Yobe N/A — Social services category
Kwara N/A — Social services
Ebonyi N/A — Social services
Osun N/A 2026 breakdown not yet published
Ekiti N/A 2026 breakdown not yet published
Rivers N/A Budget presented but sector specific not yet public.
Borno N/A Data not available.
Benue N/A
PDP Advocates Mocks ARISE Agenda
Meanwhile, the PDP Advocates for Peace and Justice (PAPAJ) expresses deep concern and unequivocal condemnation of the abysmally low allocation to education in the Akwa Ibom State Government’s 2026 budget, a move that clearly exposes the insincerity of the Gov Umo Eno administration’s much-advertised ARISE Agenda.
Under the headline ”Akwa Ibom’s 2026 Education Budget: 2.27% Allocation Mocks the ARISE Agenda,* the body quotes a report published by The PUNCH Newspaper of December 26, 2025, Akwa Ibom State allocated only N31.6 billion, representing a scandalous 2.27 per cent of its N1.39 trillion 2026 budget to education. This figure places Akwa Ibom at the bottom of the national ranking in education funding in Nigeria.
”This revelation by the PUNCH newspaper becomes even more embarrassing when compared with states that have far fewer financial advantages. The same PUNCH analysis shows that Anambra State allocated 46.9 per cent of its budget to education, Enugu State committed 32.3 per cent, and Kano State set aside 30 per cent. These states have demonstrated, through concrete budgetary commitments, that education for them is not just a slogan but a strategic priority unlike Akwa Ibom State under Gov Umo Eno,” the body states.
A press release by Dr. Tom FredFish, Chairman and Mr. Savour Uko, Secretary notes ”It is instructive to note that UNESCO recommends that governments allocate between 15 and 20 per cent of public expenditure to education. While several states struggle to meet this benchmark, Akwa Ibom’s allocation of barely two per cent is not just a shortfall; it is a deliberate abandonment of responsibility.
According to them, ”The PDP Advocates for Peace and Justice, PAPAJ, finds it ironic and unacceptable that the Akwa Ibom APC government, which loudly proclaims the ARISE Agenda like the State anthem, with “E” standing for Education, would so casually undermine that pillar through its budget. No serious government can claim to prioritise education as an agenda while allocating almost 98 per cent of public resources elsewhere. Education cannot thrive on rhetoric, billboards, or long speeches; it requires substantial and sustained investment.
”Akwa Ibom is one of Nigeria’s most financially endowed states. There is therefore no justification, economic or moral for this level of neglect for education. The 2026 budget, as presently constituted, is clear evidence that education is not being taken seriously and is not regarded as a priority by the current administration and that the ARISE Agenda is a fluke.
”The PDP Advocates for Peace and Justice warns that the consequences of this neglect will be borne by the youth, the workforce, and the future development of the state. A society that under-funds education mortgages its tomorrow.
”We therefore call on the Akwa Ibom State Government and the State House of Assembly to urgently review the 2026 budget and significantly increase the allocation to education in line with national realities and international best practices. Anything short of this will continue to expose the ARISE Agenda as a hollow mantra crafted to fool unsuspecting Akwa Ibom people rather than a genuine development blueprint.”
