The Big Tent Coalition led by Professor Pat Utomi has criticised the Presidency’s response to concerns over the state of education in Nigeria, accusing the Bola Tinubu administration of presenting government activities as achievements while failing to address the measurable impact of its policies.
In a statement issued by its Director of Media and Communications, Charles Odibo, the coalition said the Presidency, through presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga, had chosen to defend the administration by highlighting programmes and interventions rather than responding to the challenges faced by millions of Nigerians.
The coalition said the government’s response followed comments made by Peter Obi during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, where the former Labour Party presidential candidate described the outcome of the Tinubu administration’s Renewed Hope agenda as renewed hopelessness.
According to the Big Tent Coalition, Obi’s assessment reflects the realities experienced by many Nigerians, including declining living standards, growing poverty and what it described as weakening public institutions.
The group argued that the administration often confuses government activity with meaningful progress, spending with results and policy announcements with real change.
It said the Presidency’s reliance on the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, known as NELFUND, as evidence of progress in the education sector failed to address deeper challenges affecting schools and universities across the country.
According to the coalition, the number of loans approved, applications processed and student upkeep payments made should be viewed as government outputs rather than proof that the education system is improving.
The group maintained that an education loan programme can only have a lasting impact when it forms part of a wider effort to expand access to education, improve learning standards, reduce school dropout rates, retain skilled professionals and prepare graduates to contribute meaningfully to the economy.
It argued that these wider goals remain difficult to achieve amid what it described as a continuing decline in Nigeria’s education system.
The coalition cited UNICEF figures showing that Nigeria has about 18.3 million children who are out of school, placing the country among those with the highest number of children without access to formal education.
It said the crisis had not been significantly reversed under the current administration and claimed that the number had continued to rise in absolute terms.
The Big Tent Coalition also raised concerns about government funding for education, describing existing allocations as inadequate when compared with international recommendations.
It noted that the education sector received about ₦3.52 trillion in the 2025 budget, representing roughly 7.5 percent of the total national budget. According to the group, the allocation fell to about 6.15 percent in the 2026 budget, remaining below the 15 to 20 percent benchmark often associated with UNESCO recommendations.
The coalition further stated that public spending on education as a share of Nigeria’s gross domestic product remained low, estimating it at between 1.7 and 3 percent.
Odibo, who also serves as the coordinator of Obidient Connect, said universities and other tertiary institutions continue to face long standing challenges linked to inadequate funding, poor infrastructure and unresolved industrial relations issues.
The group said the Academic Staff Union of Universities has repeatedly raised concerns about delays in implementing agreements, unpaid allowances and the growing dependence of public institutions on internally generated revenue to meet responsibilities that should be funded by the Federal Government.
It added that establishing more tertiary institutions without providing sustainable funding could place additional pressure on an already struggling system.
According to the coalition, poor learning outcomes, low teacher motivation, limited research capacity and concerns about graduate employability remain major issues across the education sector.
It also pointed to the continued departure of experienced academics, overcrowded campuses and deteriorating facilities as challenges affecting students, parents and lecturers.
The group maintained that while NELFUND could provide temporary financial support for some students, it could not resolve the wider problems facing the sector.
It said the loan scheme alone would not return millions of out of school children to classrooms, improve the quality of teaching and research or close the gap between education budget announcements and the actual conditions in public institutions.
The coalition also extended its criticism beyond education, accusing the administration of relying heavily on announcements about reforms, projects and intervention programmes while many Nigerians continue to experience economic and social difficulties.
According to the group, key measures such as purchasing power, quality employment, food security, public safety and access to essential services have declined for a large section of the population.
The Big Tent Coalition said Peter Obi did not create the feeling of renewed hopelessness but merely gave expression to concerns already shared by many Nigerians.
It argued that the Presidency’s response reinforced its position by focusing on government programmes rather than addressing the outcomes of those policies.
The coalition said Nigerians deserve leaders who assess progress by improvements in the lives of citizens rather than the number of programmes announced or public statements issued.
It added that the criticism surrounding the Renewed Hope agenda would remain difficult to dismiss unless the administration moved beyond policy announcements and delivered measurable results across key sectors.
