The Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, has expressed grave concern over the plight of millions of Nigerian children facing displacement, lack of access to education, and the pervasive issue of child marriage.

She disclosed this in a statement signed by her Senior Special Assistant on Media, Jonathan Eze, to mark the 2025 Day of the African Child, commemorated with the theme ‘Planning and Budgeting for Children’s Rights: Progress Since 2010.’

The minister revealed that over 10.2 million children remain out of school in hard-to-reach communities, adding that Nigeria faces a severe child marriage crisis, with approximately 44 per cent of girls married before the age of 18.

According to her, these vulnerabilities are systemic signals that demand more inclusive, equitable, and responsive planning and budgeting processes, stressing that children are not statistical afterthoughts but strategic priorities, and investing in them is the only sustainable path to national transformation.

“It is no longer enough to draft policies in boardrooms; we must ground our priorities in the lived realities of every Nigerian child, regardless of geography, gender, ability, or circumstance,” the minister stated.

“Every naira not invested in child development leaves a void in our national destiny. Every oversight in planning has ripple effects across generations,” she warned.

The minister called on all ministries, departments, and agencies, as well as state and local governments, the private sector, civil society, and international partners, to realign priorities, reevaluate spending, and act with urgency, as investing in children is investing in national security, productivity, and prosperity.

“On this Day of the African Child, let our commitment be both spoken and lived. Let us plan with precision, budget with integrity, and act with urgency. Let us honour not just the memory of Soweto, but the promise of every Nigerian child,” the minister said.

“Because when we protect children, we preserve hope. When we invest in children, we secure the future. And when we listen to children, we shape a Nigeria that is inclusive, just, and truly great,” she added.