The Nigerian Senate has passed a bill seeking to amend the National Senior Secondary Education Commission Act No. 45, 2023, in a move aimed at strengthening the administration, regulation and coordination of public senior secondary education across the country.

The bill, known as the National Senior Secondary Education Commission Act (Amendment) Bill, 2026 (SB 1075), was passed on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, following the consideration and adoption of a report by the Senate Committee on Education (Basic and Secondary).

Presenting the committee’s report on behalf of its chairman, Senator Lawal Adamu Usman, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, representing Abia North, explained that the executive-sponsored bill was designed to address gaps identified in the implementation of the existing 2023 Act.He said the proposed amendments would strengthen the governance of the commission, improve coordination between the Federal and State Governments, promote accountability and support the effective implementation of national education policies.

Among the key provisions of the proposed amendments is a framework for direct government funding interventions to address infrastructure deficits and shortages of learning materials in public senior secondary schools.The bill also seeks to strengthen support for Federal Unity Colleges and Armed Forces senior secondary schools through clearer funding arrangements and improved coordination with relevant education authorities.

Additionally, the proposed amendments provide for the representation of the three senatorial districts in each state’s education board, with at least one of the representatives required to be a woman.Kalu disclosed that the committee conducted a stakeholders’ hearing, during which submissions and recommendations from relevant organisations and education stakeholders were considered and incorporated into its report.

He noted that the House of Representatives had also considered the bill and referred it to its Committee on Basic Education and Services for further legislative action.Following the presentation, senators considered the proposed amendments clause by clause at the Committee of the Whole before adopting the committee’s recommendations and passing the bill for third reading.

The Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin, who presided over the plenary, commended the committee for its work and expressed confidence that the proposed amendments would contribute to strengthening Nigeria’s education system. The legislative development comes amid persistent concerns over inadequate infrastructure, insufficient teaching resources, funding challenges and uneven learning outcomes in public secondary schools across the country.

With its passage by the Senate, the bill will proceed through the remaining legislative process and require the necessary approval and presidential assent before becoming law.The proposed changes are expected to strengthen the commission’s capacity to coordinate senior secondary education and improve the delivery of quality education to students across Nigeria.