The Federal Government has directed the National Commission for Mass Literacy, Adult and Non-Formal Education (NMEC) to strengthen its operations, collect accurate literacy data and expand learning opportunities for adults and youths.
The Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, gave the directive at a news conference in Abuja on Friday to commemorate the 2026 International Literacy Day.
The 2026 International Literacy Day was commemorated under the theme: “Literacy for People, the Planet and Prosperity.”
The minister said the restoration of NMEC autonomy was a major step toward improving planning, coordination and the delivery of mass literacy, adult and non-formal education.
She said the commission was being repositioned to discharge its mandate effectively.
She added that the government was rehabilitating facilities at the National Centre for Adult Education in Kano, developing infrastructure nationwide and working toward a permanent headquarters for NMEC.
Ahmad said the activation of learning centres across the country, with NMEC staff serving as facilitators, would help address the challenge of providing accessible literacy opportunities for young people and adults who missed out on formal education.
She also said the government was equipping vocational training workshops and developing the Kano regional office as a centre for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET).
According to her, the initiative will provide learners with access to standardised vocational training while supporting the development of practical skills.
The minister said the government was also strengthening teacher capacity through digitised training linked to artificial intelligence, with platforms designed to be accessible through simple Android phones.
She explained that the approach was intended to ensure that teachers in rural and urban communities were not disadvantaged by their location.
Ahmad, however, challenged NMEC’s leadership to become more proactive and ensure that its activities were communicated regularly to the public.
She said the commission must work with clear targets and key deliverables, adding that its activities should be visible to stakeholders and the media.
The minister also called on state and local governments, development partners, civil society organisations, traditional and religious institutions, the private sector, community leaders and the media to support literacy programmes.
Earlier, the Head of Education Sector, UNESCO, Mr Oladeji Adeyemi, said literacy was no longer limited to the ability to read and write.
Adeyemi noted that literacy shaped how people understand information, make decisions, know their rights and participate in society.
He said that UNESCO estimated that at least 739 million adults worldwide still lacked basic literacy skills, while more than 88 per cent of the world’s adult population could now read and write.
He said UNESCO remained committed to working with Nigeria and other member states to promote literacy, sustainable development and shared prosperity.
The Executive Secretary of NMEC Prof. Muhammed Shuni, said the commission had commenced the collection of accurate literacy data, noting that the available data had been obtained in 2010.
He said the exercise was necessary to provide a reliable basis for planning and assessing literacy interventions.
According to him, UNESCO Institute for Statistics data for 2024 showed that 67.6 per cent of Nigerians aged 25 to 64 were literate, while 81.4 per cent of those aged 15 to 24 were literate.
He said the figures would be updated as the new data collection exercise progressed.
The executive secretary added that NMEC would continue to partner relevant stakeholders to ensure that no Nigerian was left behind in the drive toward a literate, skilled and prosperous nation.(NAN)www.nannews.ng
