Odimmegwa Johnpeter/Abuja
Nigeria and Italy have agreed to establish a joint Working Group to drive the implementation of the proposed Global Partnership for Education (GPE) financing campaign aimed at mobilising five billion United States dollars for education globally.
The initiative, known as the Multiply Possibility Campaign, is designed to transform learning opportunities for about 750 million children worldwide and will climax at the Global Education Summit scheduled to hold in Rome, Italy, in September 2026.
The campaign is also expected to unlock an additional 10 billion dollars in domestic education financing by 2030.
In a statement issued on Thursday, May 21, 2026, the Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abuja, Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, stated that the agreement was reached during a meeting between Nigeria and Italy on strengthening global education financing and bilateral cooperation.
According to the statement, Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, made the disclosure while receiving the Ambassador of Italy to Nigeria, His Excellency Roberto Mengoni, during a meeting in Abuja on Wednesday.
The Minister stated that education remains one of the major priorities of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, noting that the forthcoming summit had become imperative considering Nigeria’s growing youth population.
Ambassador Odumegwu-Ojukwu explained that the partnership would help equip young people with relevant skills, create employment opportunities, and address migration challenges through productive engagement.
She also advocated constructive dialogue in handling migration issues and reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to strengthening bilateral relations with Italy.
The Minister further noted that Nigeria was exploring green investments, particularly in vulnerable communities, as part of efforts to create sustainable opportunities for young people within the country.
“We are interested in what we can do to keep our youth within our shores in productive ways,” she said.
Earlier, the Italian Ambassador to Nigeria, Ambassador Roberto Mengoni, said the meeting was necessary for both countries, as co-chairs of the Global Partnership for Education, to agree on modalities for the forthcoming education summit in Rome.
Discussions during the meeting also covered other areas of cooperation, including tourism, economic development, and defence collaboration between Nigeria and Italy.
The development highlights growing diplomatic and developmental ties between both countries, especially in the areas of education financing and youth empowerment.
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