Nigeria Launches $25 Million Outcomes Fund for Basic Education

© UNICEF/UNI950152

Lagos, 13, March 2026 – The Lagos State Government, through the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (LASUBEB), in partnership with the Education Outcomes Fund (EOF), has launched the Lagos Education Access Fund (LEAF), a targeted $25 million outcomes-based financing programme aimed at expanding access to quality basic education for children across Lagos State.

Supported by the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation, the UBS Optimus Foundation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, the programme will support approximately 200,000 children aged 6–14. LEAF focuses on enrolling and retaining out-of-school children and improving the quality of education delivered in participating schools.

Through its outcomes-based financing model, the programme will fund organisations to deliver innovative education solutions, with payments linked to independently verified results such as improved enrolment, retention, and learning outcomes. LEAF will generate robust evidence on effective approaches to reaching out-of-school children and improving learning outcomes, findings that will help inform education policy and future investments in Nigeria and beyond.

Chairman of LASUBEB, Dr. Hakeem Babetunde Shittu said: “The Lagos Education Access Fund reflects our commitment to ensuring every child in Lagos has access to quality basic education. By linking funding to results, we can strengthen accountability and support programmes that deliver real impact for children and communities.”

Dr. Amel Karboul, CEO of the Education Outcomes Fund, said: “Real change happens when we stop paying for promises and start paying for results. Lagos State has shown bold leadership by embracing outcomes-based financing to make sure every naira delivers real impact for children. Through the Lagos Education Access Fund, up to 200,000 children will have the opportunity not only to enter the classroom, but to stay in school and build the foundations for a better future.”

Eunice Ogolo, Director at CIFF - Girl Capital Africa, said “The Lagos Education Access Fund marks a decisive shift from inputs to real learning outcomes—ensuring more children are not only in school, but gaining the foundational skills they need to thrive. CIFF is proud to serve as an anchor funder alongside other philanthropic partners, working in close partnership with the Lagos State Government, whose leadership and commitment to co‑funding outcomes are central to this initiative’s success. Together, we are building a model capable of delivering lasting impact in Lagos and one that can be sustained and replicated across other states in Nigeria.”