As Nigeria joined the global community to mark World Children’s Day, key stakeholders — including UNICEF, senior journalists and government officials — have warned that Nigeria risks deeper social and economic decline unless urgent action is taken to safeguard millions of vulnerable children.
Speaking at a panel session on Tuesday in Lagos, participants decried the rising cases of insecurity, poor access to education, and widening inequality affecting children nationwide, insisting that the country cannot achieve meaningful development while millions of its young citizens remain unprotected.
UNICEF Deputy Country Representative, Ronak Nkan, said this year’s theme, “My Day, My Rights,” underscores the agency’s push for Nigerian children to participate more actively in decisions shaping their future.
Nkan noted that children continue to face violence in schools despite Nigeria’s ratification of the Safe School Declaration, stressing that the commitment must translate to concrete action on ground.
She cited Nigeria’s wide disparities in access to basic services, drawing from recent Demographic and Health Survey data. While Lagos has nearly 90 per cent household access to safe water, the figure plummets to just three per cent in Kebbi State.
“These differences guide our investments because children—wherever they are—deserve equal opportunities and protection,” she said, adding that UNICEF is supporting government through technical assistance and policy-driven interventions, especially for out-of-school girls and those forced to drop out due to early marriage or pregnancy.
A representative of the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, Mariam Fitumi Shaibu, said the government is now prioritising results-driven programmes rather than repeated debates around the Child Rights Act of 2003.
She mentioned the creation of the National Commission for Out-of-School Children and the ongoing development of an integrated national framework to coordinate all interventions targeting vulnerable children.
Shaibu also highlighted expanded programmes such as: AGILE, now operational in 18 states, the Lumina Project, which supports mothers and girls at risk of child marriage,
And a re-entry policy allowing girls withdrawn from school due to pregnancy or marriage to resume learning.
According to her, the government’s new policy on menstrual health and hygiene will address the lack of toilets, water and dignity facilities, factors that significantly contribute to girls’ school absenteeism.
Top editors also used the event to remind the media of its crucial role in shaping public opinion and holding government accountable for children’s welfare.
President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) and Vanguard Editor, Eze Anaba, said Nigeria remains in a “state of emergency” due to its staggering number of out-of-school children.
“No nation develops when its children are not in school,” Anaba said, urging state governments yet to domesticate or enforce the Child Rights Act to act without delay.
He called on parents to remain involved in their children’s lives despite economic hardship, stressing that children’s rights to education, safety and care must remain non-negotiable.
Stakeholders agreed that without stronger political commitment, wider community involvement and improved accountability, Nigeria risks losing another generation to insecurity, poverty and illiteracy.
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