AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) Nigeria has called on African leaders and the international community to break what it described as the cycle of debt injustice that continues to deprive children and young people of critical investments in healthcare, education, and social protection.

The organisation made the call on the occasion of the 2026 Day of the African Child, observed annually on June 16 across the continent.

In a statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday, AHF Nigeria said Africa’s youthful population remains its greatest asset, but warned that the aspirations of millions of children and young people would remain unrealised if governments continue to prioritise debt servicing over investments in human development.

According to the organisation, many African countries are constrained by an unfair global debt system that limits their ability to adequately fund essential services and opportunities for young people.

“From HIV prevention and youth-friendly health services to quality education, gender equality, protection from violence, and economic empowerment opportunities, the needs of young people are interconnected and require sustained public investment,” the statement said.

AHF Nigeria stressed that through its “Freedom from Debt” campaign, it is advocating urgent reforms that place people above profit and enable governments to invest more resources in the welfare and development of children and youths.

The organisation noted that it continues to support youth empowerment through initiatives such as Girls Act, Boys2Men, and other youth-focused programmes aimed at promoting leadership, health literacy, sexual and reproductive health rights, and community advocacy.

According to AHF, reducing unsustainable debt burdens would enable more young people to remain in school, access quality healthcare services, pursue their ambitions, and contribute meaningfully to national development.

The Day of the African Child commemorates the 1976 Soweto Uprising in South Africa, during which students protesting inequalities in the apartheid education system were violently attacked while demanding access to quality education.

AHF said the legacy of the uprising remains a strong reminder for leaders to prioritise the welfare, rights, and future of children across Africa.

“Fifty years later, the legacy of the Soweto Uprising continues as a call to action for leaders to listen to young people and ensure that every child has the resources, opportunities, and support needed to build the future they deserve,” the organisation stated.