Oando Foundation Joins Education Financing Working Group as Private Sector Role Expands

Oando Plc, through its non-profit arm, Oando Foundation, has been appointed to a newly established public-private working group aimed at strengthening education financing and delivery in Nigeria.

The appointment followed a high-level roundtable convened by the Federal Ministry of Education with support from the Global Partnership for Education, where government officials and private sector leaders aligned on funding priorities, execution gaps and policy direction.

The working group is expected to mobilise private capital, coordinate interventions and support the implementation of national education objectives.

It also signals a shift toward structured collaboration between the government and corporate institutions in addressing Nigeria’s education challenges.

Oando Foundation’s inclusion reinforces its position within the Private Sector Advisory Group Nigeria, where it leads the Education Cluster responsible for aligning private sector initiatives with government priorities.

Minister of Education, Maruf Tunji Alausa, said the government is prioritising coordinated private sector engagement to address systemic challenges in education funding, policy execution and learning outcomes.

He noted that structured collaboration is critical to delivering sustainable reforms.

Group Chief Executive of Oando Plc, Wale Tinubu, said private sector participation is essential to achieving long-term transformation in education, adding that partnerships between government and businesses can unlock investment and improve accountability across the system.

Head of Oando Foundation, Tonia Uduimoh, said the engagement strengthens alignment between policy direction and private sector execution, positioning the foundation to contribute to large-scale interventions focused on access, quality and learning outcomes.

Nigeria continues to face structural challenges in education, with an estimated 14.8 million children out of school, one of the highest globally.

In addition, a significant proportion of enrolled students lack foundational literacy skills, highlighting a widening learning gap.

Recent reforms aimed at increasing funding to the Universal Basic Education Commission signal improved government commitment to the sector.

However, funding gaps and implementation constraints remain, creating opportunities for private sector participation.

The newly formed working group is expected to focus on reducing fragmentation across interventions, improving accountability mechanisms and developing sustainable financing models that support long-term system transformation.

Oando Foundation’s track record includes reaching over one million beneficiaries across more than 300 public primary schools in 24 states through programmes focused on improving school infrastructure, teacher capacity and student performance.

Its current strategy is centered on foundational literacy and numeracy, climate-focused education and policy advocacy designed to drive measurable impact across the education system.

The Federal Ministry of Education is expected to continue engaging private sector stakeholders as part of a broader strategy to scale investment, improve coordination and accelerate delivery of national education priorities.