ABUJA (CHATNEWSTV) — Former Niger State Governor Mu’azu Babangida-Aliyu said Thursday that no northern Nigerian state can claim 50% of its teachers are qualified, citing the region’s high illiteracy rate as a major concern.
Speaking at the 22nd Daily Trust Dialogue in Abuja, Aliyu called for urgent reforms in education and questioned the rationale behind closing the Nigeria-Niger border.
“What is the importance of closing borders when Nigerian goods still dominate ECOWAS markets?” Aliyu asked. He noted that despite inflation, cattle in Niger remain cheaper than in Nigeria.
Aliyu urged the government to utilize federal universities of agriculture and education to train more qualified teachers, emphasizing that education is key to addressing the region’s challenges.
