Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, has called for stronger collaboration between Nigeria and Saudi Arabia to expand access to formal education for Almajiri and out-of-school children.

Speaking on Thursday while receiving Yousef Mohammed Al-Balawi at the State House in Abuja, the First Lady said the proposed partnership would help integrate Islamic education with Western-style learning, particularly for children enrolled in the Almajiri system.

She said combining Arabic and formal education would improve opportunities for vulnerable children while helping to secure their future and contribute to national development.

According to Mrs Tinubu, addressing the educational needs of Almajiri children is essential to tackling social challenges, including insecurity, stressing that many of the children require greater care and support.

She noted that providing them with quality formal education would equip them with better opportunities and positively impact the country’s future.

The First Lady also commended the longstanding diplomatic relationship between Nigeria and Saudi Arabia and expressed appreciation to the ambassador for the visit.

In his remarks, Ambassador Al-Balawi said he had spent about five months in Nigeria and praised the warm reception he had received from the government and its officials since assuming office.

He disclosed that he had already held meetings with members of the Federal Executive Council and expressed optimism that continued engagement would strengthen cooperation between both countries.

The ambassador added that Nigeria and Saudi Arabia share historical, cultural and religious ties, which provide a solid foundation for deeper collaboration, particularly in advancing economic development and other areas of mutual interest.