Leading figures from Nigeria’s banking, philanthropic, government, corporate and civil society sectors have urged greater partnership and collective action to tackle the country’s escalating out-of-school children challenge, cautioning that failure to address the problem could pose serious threats to the country’s future development.

The appeal was made by the Ibironke Adeagbo Foundation during its 4th Education Summit 2026 held at the Four Points by Sheraton Lagos, where stakeholders convened to explore practical strategies for expanding access to quality education and reducing the number of children excluded from schooling across Nigeria.

Speaking virtually at the summit, the Founder of IA-Foundation, Ibironke Adeagbo, stressed the need for collective action, describing efforts to reduce the number of out-of-school children as an “enlightened self-interest” for all Nigerians.

According to her, meaningful progress can only be achieved when government agencies, development partners, private sector organisations and civil society groups intentionally work together to ensure every Nigerian child has access to quality education.

The summit, which attracted about 25 senior delegates, centred on the Foundation’s newly launched white paper titled “The Danger of the Knowledge Gap.”

The document highlights the alarming scale of Nigeria’s out-of-school children challenge and warns of its implications for the country’s economy, security and democratic future.

Delivering the keynote address, legal luminary and IA-Foundation Patron, Femi Falana (SAN), urged citizens and advocacy groups to leverage the Freedom of Information Act to demand transparency and accountability in education funding, policy implementation and data management.

Falana noted that while governments at all levels routinely allocate funds to education, citizens must insist on knowing how such resources are utilised to ensure they translate into improved learning outcomes.

He argued that transparency in budgeting, procurement and programme implementation would help close longstanding gaps in the education sector and strengthen public confidence in government interventions.

According to him, addressing the out-of-school children crisis requires not only increased funding but also effective monitoring mechanisms to ensure that policies are implemented and resources reach the intended beneficiaries.

“Advocacy is not optional,” Falana said, noting that greater public scrutiny of education-related expenditure and outcomes is necessary to reverse the trend.

Participants at the summit included representatives of SOS Children’s Villages, the Aliko Dangote Foundation, ACT Foundation and Wellington College Lagos, among other organisations.

Stakeholders unanimously agreed that fragmented interventions have failed to adequately address the education crisis and called for a more coordinated, data-driven and community-focused approach.

Executive Director of IA-Foundation, Olufunke Sotinwa, said no single institution possesses the capacity to solve the challenge alone, stressing the importance of building strategic partnerships.

“No single institution can solve this crisis alone. We see ourselves as the credible bridge this ecosystem has been missing — between government and community, between ambition and accountability,” she said.

Sotinwa disclosed that the summit marks the beginning of a year-long engagement process aimed at translating discussions into concrete, funded initiatives capable of delivering measurable impact in communities across Nigeria.

The Foundation expressed optimism that sustained collaboration among stakeholders would help reduce the number of out-of-school children and strengthen the country’s education system for future generations.