<![CDATA[Nigeria's educational sector continues to face infrastructural deficiencies, inadequate facilities, and limited financial resources, while Islamic finance offers asset-backed, interest-free financing instruments that remain little examined for education. This study examines the mediating role of Islamic Real Estate Investment Trusts (I-REITs) in the relationship between these three challenges and the sustainable educational sector in Nigeria. A quantitative survey design was used, with a structured five-point Likert questionnaire answered by stakeholders in the educational and financial sectors. The data were analyzed with structural equation modeling to test the measurement model, the structural paths, and mediation. The measurement model showed acceptable reliability and convergent validity, and most fit indices met the recommended thresholds. Six of the seven hypothesized paths were supported. Infrastructural deficiency, limited financial resources, and I-REITs were positively related to the sustainable educational sector, whereas the direct effect of inadequate facilities was not significant. I-REITs had a strong effect on the sustainable educational sector and mediated the effects of the three challenges. The findings suggest that, with supportive policy and stakeholder collaboration, I-REITs can serve as a sustainable financing mechanism for educational infrastructure. The results rest on perception-based survey data from Nigeria and should be generalized with caution.]]>
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