By Joseph Erunke, Abuja

In a bold move to tackle Nigeria’s staggering literacy deficit, the Federal Government has launched the Accelerated Basic Education (ABE) programme targeting over 80 million non-literate youths and adults across the country.

Unveiled at a National Stakeholders Engagement Meeting in Abuja, the programme—initiated by the National Commission for Mass Literacy, Adult and Non-Formal Education (NMEC)—is designed to provide inclusive, flexible, and high-impact literacy interventions for underserved populations in all six geopolitical zones.

Representing the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, at the event, her Special Assistant (Technical), Dr. Claris Ujam, said the initiative is part of President Bola Tinubu’s broader agenda to eliminate barriers to learning, regardless of age, geography, or background.

“The ABE programme is more than a solution; it is a movement,” Ahmad said. “It rejects age, geography, and circumstance as obstacles to education. Our goal is bold: to scale youth and adult enrollment in literacy programmes across every state, every community, every ward.”

According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), nearly 80 million Nigerians—about 31% of the country’s estimated 250 million population—remain non-literate, a crisis the government described as a “silent suppressor of individual potential and national progress.”

Ahmad emphasized that the ABE programme will be implemented without compromising quality or relevance, aiming to meet learners where they are, using adaptable strategies that reflect their realities. She called on NGOs, civil society groups, and development partners to expand community-based initiatives and pioneer new delivery models to reach those excluded from formal education.

“As a Ministry, we reaffirm our promise to enable this work with sound policies, sustained financing, and strict accountability mechanisms,” she said. “Every adult empowered to read becomes a better-informed citizen; every youth who gains access to education becomes a change-maker.”

Speaking earlier, Dr. John Edeh, Director of Literacy and Development at NMEC and coordinator of the workshop, described the initiative as a “strategic turning point” for addressing Nigeria’s education challenges.

“We recognize a pressing challenge: millions of young Nigerians remain outside the formal education system due to poverty, early school leaving, displacement, or socio-economic barriers,” Edeh said. “These youths deserve a second chance, and the Adult and Non-Formal Education sector is that gateway.”

Edeh said the Commission’s approach is rooted in flexible, community-driven, and learner-centered education that goes beyond basic literacy to include life skills, vocational training, digital innovation, civic engagement, and empowerment.

“This is not remedial education. It is transformative education,” he declared.

He also highlighted NMEC’s strategic focus areas: improved funding and resource mobilization, stronger partnerships with state agencies and civil society, enhanced data collection and monitoring, and the integration of technology into non-formal learning spaces.

Calling on community leaders, donors, and youth advocates to join hands with the Commission, Edeh said, “All hands should be on deck to create safe, inclusive, and gender-sensitive learning environments that engage youth not just as learners, but as co-creators of solutions.”

The ABE programme aligns with Nigeria’s National Policy on Education, the Ministerial Strategic Plan, and the Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4), which advocates inclusive, equitable, and quality education and lifelong learning for all.