# Nigeria's Education System

> Nigeria runs a federally coordinated basic-education structure — 9 years of compulsory basic schooling followed by 3 years senior secondary and typically 4 years tertiary (9-3-4), under the Universal Basic Education Act 2004. It replaced the 6-3-3-4 model introduced in 1982. In 2025–2026 the government began phasing in a 12-year uninterrupted basic model, citing an estimated 18.3–20 million out-of-school children (UNESCO/UNICEF, 2024–2025).

**Category:** Science, Education & Innovation · **Updated:** 2026-07-26 19:36:35 · **Canonical:** https://nigeriastuff.org/a/nigeria-education-system

## Key facts
- **Current structure:** 9-3-4 (9-year basic education, 3-year senior secondary, 4-year tertiary), per Universal Basic Education Act 2004
- **Predecessor structure:** 6-3-3-4, introduced 1982 under the National Policy on Education
- **Governing law:** Compulsory, Free Universal Basic Education Act, 2004
- **Oversight bodies:** Federal Ministry of Education; Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC)
- **Out-of-school children:** 18.3 million (UNESCO, cited Dec 2024) to 20 million (Federal Ministry of Education, 2026) — estimates vary by source and year
- **2025–2026 reform:** Proposed shift to a 12-year uninterrupted basic education model (12-4), announced Feb 2025, entering implementation planning by mid-2026
- **As of:** 24 July 2026

## Sources
- National Policy on Education (6th Edition) — Federal Ministry of Education, Federal Republic of Nigeria (https://www.education.gov.ng/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/NATIONAL-POLICY-ON-EDUCATION.pdf)
- 18.3m out-of-school children: FG Earmarks N50b to address challenge — The Guardian Nigeria (https://guardian.ng/news/18-3m-out-of-school-children-fg-earmarks-n50b-to-address-challenge/)
- Nigeria's education minister proposes 12-year basic education model — Punch Newspapers (https://punchng.com/nigerias-education-minister-proposes-12-year-basic-education-model/)
- Minister pushes for transition from 9-3-4 to 12-4 system of education — Vanguard News (https://www.vanguardngr.com/2025/02/minister-pushes-for-transition-from-9-3-4-to-12-4-system-of-education/)
- Making 12-year compulsory basic education model work — The Nation Newspaper (https://thenationonlineng.net/making-12-year-compulsory-basic-education-model-work/)

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