The Federal Government has secured a $25.35 million concessionary loan from the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development to support a major initiative aimed at reducing the number of out-of-school children in Kaduna State.
The facility, signed on behalf of the Kaduna State Government, forms part of a broader $62.8m blended financing package with international development partners designed to expand access to quality and inclusive education in one of the country’s most affected regions.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by the Director of Information and Public Relations at the Federal Ministry of Finance, Mohammed Manga, the loan is expected to finance the Reaching Out-of-School Children programme, a large-scale intervention targeting vulnerable populations, including girls, children with disabilities, and internally displaced persons.
The statement read, “In a significant step towards improving access to quality education in Nigeria, the Federal Government and the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development have partnered to support the Reaching Out-of-School Children programme in Kaduna State.
“This partnership is built on a $25.35m concessionary loan agreement signed today between the Federal Government of Nigeria, on behalf of Kaduna State and the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development.
“The facility forms part of a wider $62.8m blended package with international partners that will expand access to quality, inclusive education and improve learning outcomes for some of Nigeria’s most vulnerable children.”
The programme is set to enrol over 100,000 children, construct or upgrade more than 200 schools, and improve both the learning environment and the capacity of teachers in underserved areas across the state.
The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Wale Edun, who was represented at the signing by the Minister of State for Finance, Dr Doris Uzoka-Anite, said the programme highlights the government’s commitment to transparency, accountability, and measurable outcomes in social sector investments.
