As global aid to Africa’s education sector faces a steep decline, Human Capital Africa (HCA), the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), the Aliko Dangote Foundation, and the African Philanthropy Forum, yesterday, unveiled coalitions to tackle the continent’s worsening learning crisis.
They include; the African CEOs’ Coalition for Foundational Learning and the Africa Philanthropy Coalition for Foundational Learning, designed to mobilise urgent African-led action to ensure that every child acquires essential foundational skills needed for future success.
The move comes amid projections that global education aid will drop by US$3.2 billion between 2023 and 2026, representing a 24 per cent decline, with West and Central Africa expected to face a 25 per cent reduction, and Eastern and Southern Africa up to 28 per cent.
Speaking at a dinner held at the Transcorp Hilton, Abuja, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Human Capital Africa, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, explained that the coalitions would strengthen African ownership of education reform and reduce dependence on foreign aid.
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“Africa-led philanthropy and private sector leadership can change the trajectory of education on our continent,” she said. “We can no longer depend on others to solve this challenge for us. Africa must lead by mobilising domestic resources and building powerful partnerships that put foundational learning at the centre of our development agenda.”
Chairman of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group, Mr. Niyi Yusuf, said it was in the enlightened self-interest of business leaders to invest in quality education, noting that Africa’s future workforce and consumer base depend on strong foundational learning.
“By 2050, Africa will have 2.5 billion people, and the majority will be young,” he stated. “They are not just the workforce of the future; they are the consumers of the future. If they can’t earn or produce quality, they cannot consume. The journey starts today.”
Chief Executive Officer of the Aliko Dangote Foundation, Mrs. Zouera Yousoufou, endorsed the Africa Philanthropy Coalition, stressing that fixing foundational learning was non-negotiable.
“If you don’t get foundational learning right, nothing else will matter,” she said. “African philanthropies are close to our communities and understand the context. We have relied on foreign aid for too long. These are things we must address ourselves.”
Also speaking, the Chief Executive Officer of NESG, Dr. Tayo Aduloju, described learning poverty as a symptom of a nation of irresponsible adults, urging leaders to prioritise education as a matter of survival.
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“We are spending on more schools and teachers, but our children are still not learning,” he lamented. “How we treat the child in the next decade will determine not just our competitiveness but our survival as a continent.”
Executive Director of the African Philanthropy Forum, Mrs. Mosun Layode, stressed Africa’s vast potential to finance its own development, noting that Africans hold an estimated investable wealth of $2.7 trillion, with the number of millionaires expected to grow by 65 per cent in the next decade.
“We must ensure our philanthropy aligns with national plans and invests collaboratively in areas that drive impact,” she said.