Higher salaries and better working conditions abroad are drawing experienced Nigerian teachers away from private schools, worsening an already fragile sector grappling with rising operating costs and poor management.
As schools struggle to retain qualified staff while meeting escalating expenses, many are scaling back operations or shutting down entirely, raising concerns about the future of private education in the country.
Elizabeth Ohaka, a school owner, emphasised that the environment is toxic to school business owners. “With teacher scarcity and overhead costs on an astronomical increase, it is tough navigating the path of school business,” she said.
According to the Education International 2025 report, Nigeria’s deep-rooted education crisis is being exacerbated by the loss of its teachers. Over 20 million children are out-of-school, yet classrooms lie empty.
As the teacher recruitment and retention crisis deepens globally, many countries, such as the UK, Canada, and Germany, among others, have intensified efforts to recruit overseas-trained teachers (OTTs).
