Anambra’s Education Bet: How Soludo Is Rewriting The Rules Of Governance
Chris Aburime
In a country where education funding often plays second fiddle, Anambra State is charting a different course, boldly, deliberately, and unapologetically.
Under Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, education is no longer a talking point; but the centrepiece of governance.
For the 2026 fiscal year, Anambra has committed an extraordinary 46.9 per cent of its ₦757 billion budget to education, the highest allocation by any Nigerian state.
A recent analysis by The PUNCH confirms that Anambra has overtaken states like Enugu, Kano and Jigawa, leaving many others far below globally recommended benchmarks.
UNESCO advises governments to invest 15-20 per cent of public expenditure or 4-6 per cent of GDP in education. Anambra has not just met this standard; it has redefined it.
Nearly half of the state’s budget is now dedicated to building human capital, signalling a leadership vision that prioritises knowledge as the engine of development.
This historic investment builds on concrete reforms already reshaping the sector.
Since assuming office, Governor Soludo has recruited 8,115 teachers, ending years of staff shortages in public schools.
His administration also introduced free public education from kindergarten to senior secondary level, eliminating tuition and hidden charges that once kept many children out of school.
The impact has been striking: secondary school enrolment has increased by 47 per cent, while primary enrolment rose by 27 per cent, giving Anambra the lowest out-of-school children rate in Nigeria.
For thousands of families, education has shifted from aspiration to access.
Looking ahead, the 2026 education budget is designed to consolidate these gains.
The government plans to build model primary schools in 30 communities that have never had public schools, while existing schools will be upgraded through ASUBEB with modern classrooms, laboratories, libraries and ICT centres.
Two new specialist tertiary institutions, likely in engineering, technology and medical sciences, are also in the pipeline to strengthen the skills-to-jobs pipeline.
Partnerships remain a cornerstone of the strategy.
The state continues to support mission schools, paying over ₦1.2 billion monthly in teachers’ salaries, easing the burden on parents.
A new high-level committee will explore deeper collaboration, alongside expanded bursaries for indigent university students and increased investment in smart schools, digital devices and teacher training.
What truly distinguishes Soludo’s approach is its clarity of purpose: education as an equaliser, a driver of economic transformation and a long-term solution to social challenges.
By placing human capital at the heart of governance, Anambra is positioning itself as Nigeria’s emerging education capital.
In a landscape of competing priorities, Anambra has made its choice clear, and the future is learning.
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