A recent visit to a primary school in Kano by a representative of Save the Children has brought renewed attention to the alarming state of education and child welfare in Nigeria, particularly among young girls. The organisation is calling for stronger collaboration between government, civil society, and the private sector to combat the growing crisis of out-of-school children and to ensure that every Nigerian child has the opportunity to learn, thrive, and lead.
During the visit, a moving interaction with 9-year-old Hauwa, a bright and ambitious girl who expressed her dream of becoming a doctor, revealed the deep societal barriers still preventing many Nigerian girls from accessing education. “I want to be a doctor so I can fix people. But my uncle says girls in our house don’t go to school for long. They get married,” Hauwa shared. Her words, echoing the experience of millions of girls across the country, highlighted the stark contrast between children’s dreams and the limiting traditions they face.
According to UNESCO, Nigeria currently has the highest number of out-of-school children globally, with nearly 20 million children lacking access to formal education. Many of these are girls, hindered by early marriage, cultural practices, poverty, and insecurity. In addition, UNICEF data shows that 1 in 8 Nigerian children dies before the age of five, while 43% suffer from malnutrition, figures that underscore a broader social emergency.
While some progress has been made through school feeding initiatives, community education programs, and policy reforms focused on girl-child education, Save the Children warns that these efforts remain fragmented and under-resourced. The organisation stressed that a more coordinated and long-term strategy is needed to address the root causes of child vulnerability.
Speaking after the visit, the Vice Chair of Save the Children UK’s Africa Advisory Board called on Nigerian businesses, philanthropists, and government actors to take stronger ownership of children’s futures. “Nearly half of Nigeria’s population will be under 15 by 2030. What we do now will determine whether that generation is empowered or left behind,” she stated.
The visit to Kano is part of Save the Children’s broader campaign to spotlight the plight of children across Africa and to rally stronger support for policies and investments that prioritise education, healthcare, and child protection. The organisation has set ambitious 2030 goals that include:
- Ending preventable child deaths before age five,
- Ensuring access to basic quality education for all children,
- Eliminating violence against children.
The group also announced plans to strengthen partnerships with local stakeholders and scale up interventions in underserved communities.
“This is more than a charity mission, it’s a justice mission,” said the Board Vice Chair. “Girls like Hauwa should not have their dreams cut short because of where they were born or the traditions around them. When a child says, ‘I want to be a doctor,’ the world must not only listen, it must act.”
Save the Children has called for urgent multi-sector collaboration to break the silence around child marriage, education exclusion, and health disparities, urging Nigerian society to come together to build systems that will protect and empower the nation’s next generation.