<![CDATA[Weak organizational and institutional structures continue to constrain education governance in developing contexts, hindering the achievement of sustainability goals. This study investigated whether cross-sectoral collaboration, accountability, and data integration significantly predict sustainable education governance in Nigeria. A correlational survey design was employed, involving education policy makers, government administrators, and civil society actors at the federal, state, and local levels. A sample of 178 respondents was randomly selected through stratified sampling to represent the three tiers of governance. Data were collected using a structured, validated questionnaire and analyzed through Spearman's Rank-Order Correlation and multiple regression. Results showed a moderate positive bivariate correlation between cross-sectoral collaboration and governance (r = .453, p = .000); however, this contribution became non-significant once accountability and data integration were controlled for (β = –.044, p = .222), likely due to shared explanatory overlap among predictors. The overall regression model was significant, F(3,174) = 331.111, p = .000, explaining 85.1% of the variance (R² = .851, R = .922). Accountability (β = .850, p = .000) and data integration (β = .150, p = .000) were significant predictors, with accountability showing the strongest influence. The study concludes that accountability and data integration are the most critical drivers of sustainable education governance, while cross-sectoral collaboration contributes meaningfully only when considered independently. It is recommended that stakeholders strengthen accountability mechanisms, integrate education data systems, and institutionalize cross-sectoral coordination to improve governance outcomes in Nigeria.]]>
