The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) representative in Nigeria, Wafaa Saeed, has emphasized the importance of investing in children and young people through education, healthcare, and protection services to improve outcomes for vulnerable populations across the country. Saeed made these remarks during a high-level engagement in Kano state involving Heads of Mission of European Union (EU) Member States and their deputies, who concluded a multi-day visit aimed at strengthening development partnerships, public diplomacy, and strategic engagement across Northern Nigeria.
Commitment to Child Welfare
Saeed reiterated UNICEF's commitment to advancing child welfare and ensuring that every child has access to essential services. She stated, "Children and young people are at the centre of this engagement. By investing in their education, health, and protection, we are helping ensure that every child, especially the most vulnerable, can survive, learn, and build a better future."
According to a statement made available to The Guardian by UNICEF on Thursday, the delegation was led by the EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Gautier Mignot, and included representatives from UNICEF, the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) on behalf of the German Government, Plan International Nigeria, UN-Habitat, and other development partners.
Engagement with Kano State Government
During the visit, the delegation met with Kano state deputy governor, Murtala Sule Garo, who represented governor Abba Kabir Yusuf. Discussions centered on urban development, youth empowerment, social inclusion, and opportunities for sustainable growth in the state. Garo reaffirmed the state's commitment to fostering development partnerships and creating an enabling environment for responsible investment, transparency, accountability, and collaboration with international stakeholders.
The Kano state government also presented its Urban Development Strategy, developed with technical support from UN-Habitat. The strategy seeks to guide sustainable urban growth, improve resilience, strengthen infrastructure planning, promote social cohesion, and unlock economic opportunities across the metropolitan region.
EU's Commitment to Northern Nigeria
Reflecting on the visit, Ambassador Mignot said the mission demonstrated the European Union's commitment to maintaining a visible and active presence in Northern Nigeria. He noted, "This visit underlines the European Union's commitment to being visibly present and engaged in Northern Nigeria. By connecting directly with communities, young people, and local institutions, we are strengthening partnerships that support inclusive growth, stability, and opportunity for all."
The delegation also engaged students at Bayero University Kano in an interactive session focused on youth participation in governance, development, and locally driven solutions to societal challenges.
Support for Entrepreneurs and Education
Country Director of GIZ Nigeria and ECOWAS, Dr. Markus Wagner, emphasized the importance of supporting women and young entrepreneurs as a pathway to building resilient communities and strengthening local economies. He said, "Investing in women and young entrepreneurs is key to building resilient communities. Through skills development and support to local enterprise, we are creating opportunities that strengthen local economies across Northern Nigeria."
Education featured prominently during the visit, with development partners stressing the need for sustained investment in learning opportunities, particularly for girls and vulnerable children. Plan International Nigeria Country Director, Dr. Charles Usie, noted that quality education extends beyond access to classrooms and is critical to enabling children realize their full potential. He added, "Quality education is more than access to a classroom; it is about creating opportunities for children to learn, thrive, and shape their own futures. Achieving this requires strong partnerships and sustained investment, particularly for girls and children who continue to face barriers to education and opportunity."
