In a time when many Northern states in Nigeria are struggling to keep children in school, Kogi State seems to be telling a different story — and it’s one of hope, grit, and results.
At the 2025 Blueprint Impact Award Series in Abuja, Kogi State’s Governor, Ahmed Usman Ododo, was honoured as Governor of the Year in Human Capital Development — and it wasn’t just for fancy speeches or promises on paper.
According to his spokesperson, Hon. Ismaila Isah, who received the award on his behalf, Kogi now has the lowest rate of out-of-school children in Northern Nigeria. For a region often weighed down by poor education access, insecurity, and poverty, this is no small feat.
Governor Ododo’s administration has reportedly spent over ₦1 billion in just one year to pay for external exams for students in public primary and secondary schools across the state. That’s not just an investment in education — it’s a direct relief for parents, especially in rural communities where paying exam fees often means sacrificing meals or selling farm produce early.
“The Governor believes education shouldn’t be a privilege but a right,” said Isah. “And that belief is showing up in our numbers — more children are now enrolled, and they are staying in school.”
Anyone familiar with the North knows the challenge is not just getting children into classrooms, but keeping them there. In many communities, economic hardship and cultural factors force children, especially girls, out of school early. But in Kogi, officials say they are turning that tide, one schoolchild at a time.
But Governor Ododo isn’t stopping at education. His government is also working on revamping over 300 primary healthcare centres across the 21 local government areas of the state.
“The logic is simple,” said Isah. “A sick child cannot learn. A sick teacher cannot teach. We are developing people in total — both in mind and body.”
It’s this comprehensive approach that earned the Governor his award. The Blueprint Impact Awards, an annual event that honours outstanding contributions to national development and innovation, seemed to agree that Ododo’s vision was not just paper-deep.
Of course, awards don’t always mean success on the ground. But in this case, even national statistics reportedly back Kogi’s progress, confirming its lead in the fight against out-of-school rates in the North.
That doesn’t mean the work is done. Far from it. There are still challenges — from teacher shortages to infrastructure gaps and the ever-present threat of political distractions. But for now, Kogi seems to be walking its talk.
And in a country where education is often discussed more than it’s delivered, that’s worth celebrating.
As one tired parent from Dekina reportedly joked, “If this Governor keeps doing like this, my pikin fit grow to become Governor too — or at least pass WAEC without wahala.”
Na so we like am.
This feature is part of our ongoing series on education and governance in Nigeria. If you have a story worth telling, send us a tip.
