In 2015, all 54 African countries committed to raising education spending to at least 4 to 6 percent of GDP and/or 15 to 20 percent of total public expenditure, in line with international pledges tied to the Sustainable Development Goals. Most, however, have fallen short of that target, even as education emerges as one of citizens’ top concerns across the continent.

Education now ranks among citizens' top priorities in Africa, though governments' performance in the sector remains mixed, according to a pan-African profile report from Afrobarometer published on January 22, 2026. The sector ranks third among the priorities cited by Africans, just after employment and health, based on a survey conducted in 2024/2025.

For more than a decade, African governments have pledged to make education a budgetary priority. This commitment lies at the heart of the Incheon Declaration on Education 2030, adopted in 2015, which set a clear benchmark: allocate between 4 and 6 percent of GDP and 15 to 20 percent of public spending to education to guarantee inclusive, equitable and quality education for all.

These goals have been reaffirmed at the continental level through several frameworks, including the Continental Education Strategy for Africa (CESA 2026-2035), the Nairobi Declaration on domestic financing for education, approved by 17 African heads of state and ministers, and most recently the Nouakchott Declaration, adopted at the African Union’s continental education conference in December 2024. Governments renewed their commitment to strengthen public education funding, improve teaching quality and reduce access inequalities, particularly for girls and vulnerable populations.

Continental commitments reaffirmed but rarely honored

According to data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, most African countries allocate less than 4 percent of their GDP to education, and only a minority reach the recommended threshold of 20 percent of national budgets. In June 2024, UNICEF indicated that 9 out of 49 African countries, less than one in five, allocated 20 percent or more of their public spending to education, while 24 countries committed to allocating at least 15 percent, and 6 countries allocated less than 10 percent.

On average, public education spending across the continent remains below internationally agreed benchmarks. In Côte d’Ivoire, the most recent data show that public spending on education represented approximately 3.43 percent of GDP in 2023, slightly below the recommended threshold. In Benin, education spending represented 3.23 percent of GDP in 2023, up from previous years. Nigeria illustrates a major challenge. Despite its large student population, education funding remains weak, representing only 1.97 percent of GDP in 2022.

Insufficient public spending jeopardizes governments’ ability to meet their legal obligations to guarantee free and compulsory quality primary education and to make secondary education available, accessible and free for every child. Pre-primary education and vocational training remain limited, hampering the development of skills needed to take advantage of the digital economy and the green transition.

Namibia is one of the few countries allocating 23.4 percent of its 2025/2026 national budget to education, demonstrating that these commitments can be met.

Why governments struggle to keep their promises

This situation reflects political and economic trade-offs. Many African governments continue to underinvest in public education as they confront multiple urgent challenges. Several countries in the Sahel, Central, East and North Africa face persistent armed conflicts that require substantial defense and security spending. This is the case for Burkina Faso, which allocates 27.76 percent of its budget in 2025, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, which allocates 30 percent in 2026. Others must respond to climate emergencies or manage high debt burdens.

According to Human Rights Watch, several African governments are implementing regressive austerity measures to service debt and repay interest. Fifteen of them allocate more resources to debt servicing than to education, leading to drastic cuts in teachers’ salaries, shortages of teaching materials and overcrowded classrooms. The report also points to weak internal resource allocation. In some countries, a disproportionate share of the education budget goes to higher education, about 20 percent on average, while preschool receives only 2 percent. Basic education levels therefore remain underfunded.

A further constraint is reliance on external aid. In several countries, part of education financing depends on international donors, making national budgets vulnerable to aid fluctuations and global crises.

A system under pressure from demographic growth

Rapid population growth compounds the challenge. With a fast-growing youth population, education needs are rising faster than available budgets. A joint report from UNESCO, UNICEF and the African Union emphasizes that although school enrollment has increased since 2015, more than 100 million children in Africa remain out of school.

Teaching quality has stagnated, with shortages of qualified teachers and limited infrastructure, resulting in weak learning outcomes. Four out of five children aged 10 cannot read a simple text. At the same time, the working-age population is expanding faster than in other regions of the world, partly due to progress in reducing infant mortality.

UNESCO notes that early childhood education remains underdeveloped in many regions and transition rates from primary to secondary school vary considerably. While primary and secondary completion rates are increasing, progress is very slow, less than 1 percent per year in North Africa and sub-Saharan Africa. At the same time, child labor, early marriage and insecurity contribute to high dropout rates, particularly among girls, further deepening the crisis.

Reinventing financing to achieve SDG 4

With its working-age population projected to reach 600 million by 2030, Africa is becoming increasingly significant to the global labor market. This makes education reform imperative to foster faster and more inclusive growth. Several African countries are making visible efforts to improve access to quality education and promote lifelong learning. Yet approximately one in four young people is neither in school, in training nor employed, and progress remains slow.

To achieve universal education by 2030, African education systems would need to accommodate 170 million additional children, build 9 million new classrooms and recruit 11 million teachers. Increasing education’s share of national budgets and allocating resources more effectively across education levels remain critical as the continent prepares to host the world’s largest youth population.

In addition, a new blended financing model is needed, combining public resources, partnerships with the private sector, innovative mechanisms such as national education funds and social bonds, and support from technical and financial partners. Diversifying funding sources would reduce dependence on external aid, ease pressure on public finances and secure long-term investment.

According to the 30th edition of the World Bank’s biannual report on sub-Saharan Africa, regional economic activity grew 3 percent in 2024, after 2.4 percent in 2023, driven by consumption and private investment. Inflation declined from 7.1 percent in 2023 to 4.8 percent in 2024, supported by tighter monetary and fiscal policies, currency stabilization and easing supply chain disruptions.

This recovery remains insufficient to significantly reduce poverty. GDP per capita growth was modest at 0.5 percent in 2024, compared with 2.4 percent between 2000 and 2014, while debt servicing absorbs 34 percent of public revenues, limiting productive investment. Conflicts, climate change and debt burdens continue to constrain development and access to quality jobs for young people.

Education, a key driver of Africa’s economic transformation

Reviving growth depends on two main drivers: stabilizing economies and transforming education to equip a rapidly expanding working-age population with solid knowledge and skills aligned with labor market needs. Data-driven planning, smarter spending and support for entrepreneurship are essential to expand access to education, improve learning quality and create skilled jobs.

In this context, closing gaps in pre-primary education and vocational training, supporting startups and small businesses, and attracting established companies are critical to ensure young graduates find employment opportunities aligned with their skills. These measures would enable Africa to fully realize its economic potential and achieve sustainable and inclusive growth.

Technological innovation, particularly artificial intelligence, can also help transform education systems. AI can support the creation of personalized learning pathways tailored to each student’s level, progress and challenges. As UNESCO notes, artificial intelligence has the potential to address some of the greatest challenges in education today, to innovate in teaching and learning practices, and to accelerate progress toward SDG 4. However, rapid technological developments inevitably bring multiple risks and challenges, which have so far outpaced policy debates and regulatory frameworks.

Lydie Mobio, Ingrid Haffiny, Carelle Tahou