Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest man, has lamented the underfunding of education in Nigeria.
While speaking at the 41st convocation of the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, Dangote also stressed the need for private partnership to be employed to bolster the quality of education in the country.
Dangote, who constructed a hostel for the institution, also spoke on the increasing number of students in the country without enough infrastructure.
He said: “Student population at the country’s universities has recorded significant increase without a corresponding growth in terms of infrastructure.
“This is a subsisting and growing major challenge as Nigerian public universities continue to grapple with underfunding.
“We do acknowledge that the Federal Government alone cannot shoulder the entire burden of funding tertiary education due to competing needs of other sectors that also demand priority attention.
“This is where Public Private Partnership (PPP) can and should come in to fill the gap. I strongly believe the private sector must go beyond just the payment of 2 per cent education levy.”
He also tasked individuals to join hands with governments at all levels to ensure improved funding for tertiary education in Nigeria.
