Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has said Nigeria has sufficient resources to provide free basic and secondary education for every child, urging the government to increase investment in the education sector as a foundation for national development.
Gumi made the remarks during an interview on PAPShow, where he discussed the administration of President Bola Tinubu, economic policies, social interventions and the importance of education in addressing the country’s developmental challenges.
The cleric commended the expansion of universities across the country, noting that the establishment of additional federal, state and private institutions was a positive development.
However, he argued that greater attention should be given to primary and secondary education to ensure that every Nigerian child has access to quality and affordable schooling.
“Nigeria is a very wealthy country. We have the resources to provide free basic and secondary education for every child,” he said.
According to Gumi, education remains a critical driver of national development and should be prioritised by governments at all levels.
“Education is the foundation of development and progress in every nation,” he added.
The cleric also linked improved access to education with efforts to tackle insecurity, arguing that poverty, ignorance and the lack of economic opportunities contribute to some of the challenges confronting the country.
He maintained that military operations alone could not permanently resolve Nigeria’s security problems, stressing the need for non-kinetic approaches, including improved access to education, healthcare, employment opportunities and investment in local communities.
On the economy, Gumi acknowledged that Nigeria was recording growth in certain areas, citing improvements in gross domestic product, government revenue and financial allocations to state governments.
He also recognised the Tinubu administration’s introduction of interventions aimed at supporting vulnerable Nigerians but insisted that more needed to be done to ensure the benefits reached those who needed them most.
“I cannot be unfair to the government. It has introduced some interventions to support vulnerable Nigerians. But is what has done enough? No,” he said.
Speaking on the removal of the petrol subsidy, Gumi described the policy as inevitable under the circumstances, although he said he would have preferred the government to establish stronger social protection mechanisms before implementing it.
He urged the Federal Government to strengthen its social welfare programmes and ensure that vulnerable citizens were adequately protected from the economic consequences of its policies.
Gumi further stressed the need for sustained investment in critical sectors, particularly education, describing it as essential to reducing poverty, addressing insecurity and securing Nigeria’s long-term development.
