President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday called for the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to support efforts to keep out-of-school children in classrooms.
According to a statement posted on X on Thursday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu made the remarks during a visit to the IMF Managing Director, Kristalina Georgieva, on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
The president said education is a pathway out of hunger and poverty, adding that his government is working to improve access to education for children.
He also solicited the Bretton Wood institution’s support for the government’s reforms, particularly on taxation.
He assured that measures are being taken to reduce the hardship caused by recent reforms in Nigeria.
President Tinubu said: We have too many children out of school, and we know that education is a way out of hunger and poverty.
“That is why we are designing ways and incentives to keep these children in school, and we need your support for these kids who want to stay in school.
“We have started seeing positive results from our reforms, and the Nigerian people now understand the need for them, but we have to reduce the hardship that has resulted from the implementation.
“On taxation, we are engaging stakeholders and sensitising Nigerians to expand the economy’s tax base for inclusive developmental growth.
“We are doing this without necessarily increasing the taxes on our people who have already given a lot. We will require your support on this.”