Learning under siege: The fiscal paradox of Nigeria’s safe schools initiative

    Muhammed Akanji | Insights | Jun 12, 2026    
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Nigeria’s Safe Schools Initiative captures a painful contradiction between fiscal ambition and lived insecurity. Despite a N144.77 billion (2023–2026) federal commitment to secure learning spaces, classrooms remain under siege. In May 2026, gunmen abducted dozens of students in Borno State and attacked schools in Oyo’s Oriire LGA, exposing how billions in Abuja fail to reach the frontlines.

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