The Minister of Education, Olatunji Alausa, has assured that the Federal Government will ensure Nigerian children remain in school, dismissing concerns about potential strikes by the Academic Staff Union of Universities.
"We will keep our children in school," Alausa said in an interview with journalists on the sidelines of the Gender Inclusion Summit organized by the Policy Innovation Centre organised by the Policy Innovation Centre on Wednesday in Abuja.
Alausa's assurance comes amid ongoing talks between the government and ASUU over the non-implementation of the 2009 ASUU-FGN Agreement, which includes sustainable funding of Nigerian universities, revitalisation of the university system, payment of outstanding 25-35 per cent salary arrears, stagnated promotions for over four years, unremitted third-party deductions, and victimisation of colleagues in some institutions.
The 2009 agreement was the last signed deal between the Federal Government and ASUU.
But speaking at the event, the minister emphasised that the government is engaging with ASUU and other trade unions with the highest level of mutual respect, adding that there is no need for private conversations to be made public.
"I will tell you, we are engaging. I told you we will deal with ASUU and other trade unions with the highest level of mutual respect.
"We will continue to talk to them. I don't want to come on TV to start talking about private conversations with them, but what I can assure you is that ASUU will not go on strike; we will keep our children in school.
This is a responsible government, and we will keep, we will ensure that our children stay in school.
The Minister also highlighted the government's efforts to improve the education sector, including the migration of West African Examinations Council and National Examinations Council exams to computer-based testing.
According to Alausa, this move aims to reduce examination malpractices and improve the quality of education.
"We believe that computer-based testing is one of the starting points to reduce examination malpractices in our country."
"We need to use technology, we need to migrate our exams, WAEC and NECO, to computer-based. There was a lot of pushback. But then, we believe that is how we can; that's one of the starting points to reduce examination malpractices in our country.
"And let me tell you the danger of examination malpractices, you would disincentivise the hardworking students. And we have many more hardworking students than the fewer ones that are cheating. And that's why we have moved quickly to implement the computer-based testing in WAEC and NECO.
Alausa expressed delight that the WAEC exam will be conducted via computer-based testing in November, with essay sections remaining paper-based. By next year, both objective and essay sections will be computer-based.
"And I am happy that by November this year, the WAEC exam that will be done in November, the objectives will be CBT, the essay will still be on paper, and the same thing with NECO. And by next year, both the objectives and the papers and the essays will all be CBT. As you do this, you'll get the kids to study more, their cognition will get better, and they will be able to, the quality of their learning, of their preparation for exams will be higher, and they'll be able to do better in life, make better life decisions, navigate their lives better."
The Minister also addressed concerns about integrating underserved communities and children with disabilities into the computer-based testing system.
"We have clear plans on how to integrate underserved communities and children with disabilities," he said, adding that the government will transport students from communities without infrastructure to support computer-based exams to designated locations.
In her speech, the Minister of Women Affairs, Hajia Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, has highlighted the importance of empowering women and promoting inclusion, revealing that women now lead over 40 per cent of Nigeria's key commercial banks.
She made this disclosure at the High-Level Ministerial Panel of the Gender and Inclusion Summit 2025.
According to the Minister, women are breaking ceilings in various sectors, including the private sector.
"Female executives now occupy an estimated 22% of leadership positions, which is higher than the global average of 20 per cent, and women lead over 40 per cent of Nigeria's key commercial Banks," she said.
"A World Bank study shows that closing the gender gap in labour force participation could add as much as $229bn to Nigeria's GDP by 2030," she stated.
Sulaiman-Ibrahim also showcased the achievements of the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and the Families First Initiative, which aims to empower women, protect children, and support vulnerable households.
The Minister cited examples of progress made in various states, including Adamawa State, where women are now legally allowed to own and inherit land and property.
"In Adamawa State, women are now legally allowed to own and inherit land and property, participate in decision-making during traditional council meetings, and benefit from a dedicated local court in Yola to try cases of early child marriage."
"Remarkably, women now hold 100 per cent of vice-chairperson positions across all 21 Local Government Councils in the state, exceeding the 35 per cent affirmative action benchmark."
"In Niger State, all Local Government vice-chairmanship positions are now being reserved for women. In Rivers State, a 19-year-old girl recently won a councillorship seat, symbolising the rise of a new generation of female leaders," she explained.
Also at the summit, themed "New Voices and New Approaches for Accelerating an Inclusive Society," brought together stakeholders to discuss and drive systemic change.
The Chairman of the Policy Innovation Centre, Udeme Ufot, in his welcome speech, emphasised the importance of inclusion and the need for collective action.
"Inclusion begins with listening; we must listen to those who are often excluded from decision-making processes"
"The voices of rural women who power our agricultural economy but remain under-recognised."
"The voices of young people whose creativity and resilience are assets to national progress, but who face barriers of unemployment and underrepresentation."
Ufot also highlighted the importance of innovating and deploying technology to enable inclusion, designing social protection systems that are data-driven and responsive, and adopting financing models that break down structural barriers for women entrepreneurs and small businesses.
Similarly, the Chairman of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group, Niyi Yusuf, emphasised the importance of inclusion and the need for collective action.
"Today's gathering marks a significant milestone in our collective journey toward an inclusive Nigeria," Niyi said. "This year's theme, 'New Voices and New Approaches for Accelerating an Inclusive Society,' is both deliberate and timely. It calls us to acknowledge the limitations of past approaches and embrace the creativity, innovation, and diverse perspectives needed to accelerate progress."
Niyi also highlighted the importance of listening to new voices and adopting new approaches to drive inclusion.
"Inclusion requires listening to those who have long been silenced or sidelined," he said. "The voices of rural women, grassroots entrepreneurs, young innovators, displaced persons, and marginalised communities must not only be heard but must shape the decisions that affect their lives," he concluded.