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Towards boosting education and empowerment of Nigerian girls to secure their future, the Honourable Minister of State for Education, Prof Suwaiba Said Ahmad, has rallied Commissioners of Education from twelve pilot states behind the ambitious LUMINAH 2030 Initiative.
It's a multi-phase programme set to transform the lives of over one million underserved girls and women by the year 2030.
Describing LUMINAH 2030 as “a national movement to dismantle exclusion, poverty, and silence,” Prof Ahmad urged state-level actors to take ownership of the programme through transparent and equitable implementation.
In a statement by Boriowo Folasade, Director Press and PR, the Minister also disclosed that the twelve pilot states were selected based on data indicating urgent need and potential for high impact.
The LUMINAH 2030 initiative—an acronym for Learning, Uniting, Modernizing, Innovating, Nurturing, Accelerating, and Harmonizing—adopts a phased approach that targets both school-aged girls and their female caregivers.
It begins with the Root Phase, which empowers women through financial literacy and vocational skills training, linking their economic progress to increased school enrollment for their daughters.
The Stem Phase focuses on providing accelerated, culturally relevant basic education to out-of-school girls aged 5–15, using interactive learning models.
Finally, the Bloom Phase supports adolescent girls aged 15–18 with access to senior secondary education, vocational training, and leadership development, thereby equipping them for a productive and empowered future.
Speaking at the high-level consultation in Abuja, Mrs. Amina Buba Haruna, Head of the LUMINAH 2030 Secretariat, emphasized the importance of state collaboration in shaping inclusive, scalable, and context-sensitive solutions.
“This is not just a federal programme, it is a collective responsibility to ensure no girl or woman is left behind,” she said.
The session served as a platform for harmonizing state and federal goals, reviewing implementation pathways, and exchanging strategies to reach Nigeria’s most marginalized populations.
The Minister encouraged Commissioners to leverage existing policies, partnerships, and innovations to accelerate delivery.
With over 15 million out-of-school children in Nigeria—60% of whom are girls—LUMINAH 2030 seeks to disrupt the generational cycle of poverty by linking educational access with economic empowerment.
The initiative’s sustainability will be underpinned by contributions from federal and state governments, the private sector, and international development partners.
"The Federal Ministry of Education remains fully committed to supporting the successful rollout of LUMINAH 2030 through policy backing, technical support, and strong partnerships. Together with the states, we will ensure that no girl is left behind as we build a more inclusive and empowered future for all." the statement stated