The Federal Government has issued a stark warning that persistent violence against girls, rising child marriage cases, poor access to education, and growing family instability are undermining Nigeria's long-term social and economic development. Speaking during a high-level inter-generational dialogue and press briefing in Abuja, the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, highlighted the systemic barriers facing millions of Nigerian children, particularly girls.
Systemic Abuse and Exclusion
“Our girls continue to bear a disproportionate brunt of abuse and systemic exclusion,” the minister said. “Approximately 30 per cent of Nigerian women aged 15 to 49 have experienced physical or sexual violence, while one in three girls is still married before the age of 18.” She noted that the situation is worse in rural communities, where child marriage rates rise to nearly 48 per cent, and millions of girls remain trapped in the country's out-of-school crisis. “Girls remain the most significantly affected, particularly in conflict-prone regions where their vulnerability to exploitation and displacement is highest,” she stated.
Legal Frameworks and Widespread Challenges
Sulaiman-Ibrahim observed that despite existing legal and policy frameworks, abuse, exploitation, and educational exclusion remain widespread across the country, especially in underserved communities. She warned about the long-term implications, stating that the consequences of child marriage, female genital mutilation, and violence against children extend beyond individual trauma to national development concerns. “When a girl is subjected to child marriage, when a child experiences Female Genital Mutilation, or when any young person is exposed to violence, the nation does not only lose a voice; it loses productivity, potential, and long-term economic value,” she said. “These harms translate into measurable social and economic deficits, weakening national cohesion.”
Government Interventions and Plans
The minister announced that the Federal Government is intensifying efforts to strengthen child protection systems, improve inclusion, and expand access to education and social welfare services. This includes the ongoing review of the Child Rights Act to address emerging digital-age threats, alongside stronger implementation of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act across states. She disclosed that the government has developed national action plans on ending violence against children, ending child marriage, and eliminating female genital mutilation.
Highlighting intervention programmes, Sulaiman-Ibrahim said the World Bank-supported AGILE project is scaling educational opportunities and digital literacy programmes to more than 8.6 million girls across 18 states. “Our mission is to move from data to dignity,” she said, adding that the government is acting “with the speed and precision required to protect the over 100 million Nigerian women and girls whose futures depend on our resolve.”
Universal Child Benefit and New Policies
The minister further announced plans for a Universal Child Benefit targeting vulnerable children and households, alongside the expansion of the “Future Now Initiative” aimed at equipping children with digital literacy, STEM education, and artificial intelligence awareness. She also revealed that Nigeria's first National Menstrual Health and Hygiene Policy is awaiting approval, describing period poverty as another major barrier affecting girls' school attendance and dignity.
Declaring 2026 as the “Year of Families and Social Development,” President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, according to the minister, is placing renewed attention on the role of families in child protection, moral development, and national stability. The government also unveiled the theme for the 2026 National Children's Day celebration as “Future Now: Promoting Inclusion for Every Nigerian Child.”
Children as Active Participants
Sulaiman-Ibrahim stressed that children must no longer be treated merely as beneficiaries of government interventions but as active participants in national development. “When we deliberately listen to children, when we give them space, trust, and dignity of expression, we nurture confidence, identity, and agency,” she stated. She added that platforms such as the proposed “FutureNow” podcast would give children and adolescents opportunities to share their experiences and contribute to national discourse.
Call for Collaboration
Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Esuabana Nko Asanye, called for stronger collaboration among government agencies, development partners, civil society groups, and the media to advance child welfare and protection. “We reaffirm our collective resolve and therefore call for all hands to be on deck for the sake of our children,” Asanye said. She noted that safeguarding children requires collective responsibility from families, schools, communities, and institutions. Development partners including UNICEF, Save the Children, and SOS Children's Villages were commended for supporting Nigeria's child protection and family strengthening programmes.
