2Baba Urges Overhaul of Nigeria’s Education System Amid JAMB Performance Crisis

Nigerian music icon Innocent Idibia, known as 2Baba, called for a comprehensive reform of Nigeria’s education system following the 2025 Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) results, where 1.3 million of 1.8 million candidates—76%—scored below 200 out of 400, deemed insufficient for university admission. 

Speaking at a youth summit in Lagos, 2Baba criticized the system’s outdated curriculum, inadequate teacher training, and limited access to quality education, which affects 20 million out-of-school children, the world’s highest. He urged the government to prioritize STEM education, vocational training, and digital literacy to prepare Nigeria’s 110 million youth for a global economy.

The 2025 JAMB exams, conducted in April, saw only 430,000 candidates score above 200, a 5% drop from 2024, with 30% failing all four subjects. 2Baba highlighted systemic issues, including 60% of schools lacking functional libraries and 45% of teachers unqualified, per UNESCO data. He proposed adopting Finland’s model, where 90% of students engage in practical learning, and increasing education funding from 6% to 15% of Nigeria’s $400 billion budget. His comments resonate with 2024’s 32% graduate unemployment rate, underscoring the mismatch between education and job markets, where 80% of jobs require digital skills.

2Baba, who founded the 2Face Foundation to support education, pledged ₦50 million to fund 1,000 scholarships for indigent students in 2025. He also criticized JAMB’s computer-based testing, which 25% of candidates struggled with due to poor ICT infrastructure, with 10,000 centers lacking stable power. 

The musician’s advocacy follows his 2023 campaign for free primary education, impacting 5,000 children. Nigeria’s education crisis, with 50% of schools in rural areas underfunded, requires $10 billion annually to meet SDG 4 goals by 2030. 2Baba’s call, backed by 70% of summit attendees, signals growing pressure for policy changes to address systemic failures.