FG unveils National Education Data Infrastructure to strengthen planning, accountability

Education

ABUJA, Nigeria (NPA) — The Federal Government has launched a new National Education Data Infrastructure (NEDI) aimed at improving education planning, learner tracking, transparency and service delivery across Nigeria’s education sector.

Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, disclosed this on Thursday following a landmark stakeholder meeting on the initiative.

According to the minister, the platform is designed to address longstanding data gaps that have hindered effective policy implementation and planning within the education system.

“For too long, gaps in data have limited effective planning, learner tracking and policy implementation across the sector. Through NEDI, we are changing that,” Alausa said.

He revealed that more than 32 million learners and over 220,000 schools across 21 states have already been captured on the platform.

The minister described NEDI as Nigeria’s “single source of truth” for education data, noting that the initiative would strengthen evidence-based decision making, accountability, transparency and efficient service delivery at all levels of education.

Alausa explained that the platform would also support efforts to tackle examination malpractice, identity fraud and the proliferation of illegal examination centres through the introduction of the National Learner Identity Number (NLIN).

According to him, the NLIN will be linked to the National Identity Number (NIN) to enable proper learner identification and monitoring from school enrolment through employment stages.

“Through the National Learner Identity Number linked to the National Identity Number, we are tackling examination malpractice, identity fraud and miracle centres while improving learner tracking from enrolment to employment,” he stated.

The minister said the initiative marks a major shift from what he described as years of poor and unreliable education planning driven by inadequate data systems.

“The era of operating blindly in education planning is over. We are building the systems needed to deliver real outcomes for Nigerians,” he said.

Alausa noted that the project aligns with the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative (NESRI) and the six-point agenda of the Federal Ministry of Education aimed at transitioning Nigeria from a resource-based economy to a knowledge-driven economy.

He added that the initiative also supports the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu focused on institutional reforms, digital transformation and improved public service delivery.

The Federal Government said the new data infrastructure is expected to provide policymakers, institutions and stakeholders with more accurate and reliable information needed to improve educational outcomes nationwide.