Nigeria

Lead Writer: Mogbonjubade AdesulureRead how a Village Savings Loan Association (VSLA) made a real difference in the life of a family.

Between 2014 and 2022, Nigeria recorded 70 school attacks, 1,683 learners abducted, 184 killed, and 25 buildings destroyed – Save the Children10.5 million primary school-age children (25.6%) are not enrolled in school, with girls accounting for 60% of out-of-school children – UNICEFNigeria’s secondary school gross enrolment rate stands at 42% – WorldMetrics Nigeria Education Report (2025)

Lead Writer: Mogbonjubade Adesulure

From safe schools to ending child marriage to cleaning up the oceans, children across the globe used their voices for their rights

Media contact: Mogbonjubade Adesulure mogbonjubade.adesulure@savethechildren.org

Media contact: Mogbonjubade Adesuluremogbonjubade.adesulure@savethechildren.org

Lead writer- Mogbonjubade AdesulureTinu*, a mother of four from a cocoa-producing community in Nigeria, was able to grow her business through a Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA) and cash support from Save the Children’s Future for Every Child (FUFEC) project. Once unable to pay school fees while hawking food, she accessed loans and a cash grant to expand her business. Today, Tinu runs a thriving shop and has enrolled her children in good schools.

Lead Writer - Mogbonjubade AdesulureOnce struggling to read even simple words, Haruna and his younger brother Hussaini are now topping their classes, with support of a community-based Catch-Up Club supported by Save the Children. With dreams of becoming a president and a doctor, these two brothers are proving that with the right support, no dream is too big.Discover how a literacy program made a difference in their academics.

Lead Writer- Mogbonjubade AdesulureDiscover how a project implemented by Save the Children Nigeria sparked a real change in Maimuna’s life and family, boosting her business growth, securing her children's education, and strengthening her family's livelihood.

By Eyimofe Samuel Omede

A major highlight of the commemoration in Katsina State was the submission of the National Policy on Safety, Security, and Violence-Free Schools (NPSSVFS) to the state government for domestication. This marks a significant step toward institutionalising safety and protection in the education sector.

Meet Purity Oriaifo, Save the Children Nigeria Youth Ambassador

Over 1,500 people have been displaced from their homes, scores of people are dead, and nearly 100 people are reported missing since torrential rains and the collapse of a dam last week led to the worst flooding to hit north-central Nigeria in 60 years.

The study was based on interviews with 50 children and parents living in informal settlements in Port Harcourt, the fifth most populous city in Nigeria and the largest city in the Niger Delta, who were asked how floods and heatwaves impacted their daily lives.

Hauwa dropped out of school at age 7 due to financial hardship. Hauwa’s dream of learning seemed impossible, but things changed when Hauwa's mother attended a community engagement session organised by the Save the Children team to raise awareness on the importance of education for community members in Hauwa’s community.

As part of Immunisation Week, we are excited to announce that the next Immunisation Innovation Partners Call is launching this June!

As part of efforts to support the Federal Ministry of Health’s Every Newborn Action Plan (ENAP) and the National Child Survival Action Plan (NCSAP), Save the Children Nigeria with support from Church of Latter Day Saints supported the Borno and Yobe States Ministry of Health in renovating and equipping the Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) at the State Specialist Hospital, Maiduguri.

Imagine going to school without essential learning materials—no notebooks, pencils, sharpeners, water bottles, pens, bags, or erasers. Or perhaps you have some, but not enough. How would that impact your ability to learn? You’d agree that having the right tools makes a difference.

Opinion | Chinomso Okoro, National Safeguarding Coordinator, Save the Children International, Nigeria

An Exclusive Interview with Duncan Harvey, Country Director, Save the Children NigeriaIn this interview, Duncan shares his professional journey, life in Nigeria, and what excites him about his role. From childhood dreams to favourite Nigerian dishes, hobbies, and daily life, read the full interview!

The Save the Children Immunisation Accelerator, backed by GSK, has selected two standout projects to improve child vaccination rates in Nigeria and Ethiopia, where millions of children remain unvaccinated.Both projects were chosen from 120 submissions and will receive $100,000 in support. These innovations aim to transform immunization outcomes and are part of a broader mission to ensure no child suffers from preventable diseases.

New figures reveal 5.4 million children are now at risk of facing acute malnutrition by next April, compared to the 4.4 this past April.

More than 400,000 people have been uprooted from their homes across the state

Heavy rains in Borno state, Northeast Nigeria have led to the worst flooding in 30 years, affecting at least 239,000 people

“In 2022 and 2023, attacks on schools in Nigeria persisted in the context of armed conflict in northeastern states due to the presence of non-state armed groups, as well as armed violence in northwestern and northcentral states due to pastoralist-farmer tensions. Military use of schools, particularly by non-state armed groups, increased” according to Education Under Attack Report 2024, Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attacks (GCPEA). Attacks on students, teachers and schools jeopardize girls’ access to safe, quality education. Attacks on education can lead to child, early and forced marriages, unwanted pregnancies, stigmatization and psychological problems that reduce the likelihood of girls to return to school.[1] [1] GCPEA (2019), "It's very painful to talk about": the impact of attacks on education for women and girls http://protectingeducation.org/wp-content/uploads/documents/ documents_french_impact_of_attacks_on_education.pdf

Hundreds of thousands of children now displaced from their homes are facing disease, hunger from crop destruction, and disruption to their education

“Unregulated donation of breastmilk substitutes combined with a lack of access to clean and safe water during emergencies place infants and young children at higher risk of malnutrition and mortality. Investment in breastfeeding to address these inequalities is vital and can help reduce social disparities.”“Lack of breastfeeding during the critical first week negatively affects the overall breastfeeding initiations and prevalence... Breastfeeding can help level the playing field in our society, and it is crucial to ensure that everyone, particularly vulnerable groups, has access to breastfeeding support and opportunities.” – World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action “29% of mothers in Nigeria exclusively breastfeed their infants. This is lower than the 70% of African countries that have high rates of continued breastfeeding at one year.” – UNICEFSave the Children International calls for increased investment to better protect, promote, and support breastfeeding especially during emergencies and for vulnerable groups in Nigeria.

“Up to 40% of the planet’s land is degraded, directly affecting half of the world’s population.” UN Convention to Combat Desertification“The number and duration of droughts has increased by 29% since 2000 – without urgent action, droughts may affect over three-quarters of the world's population by 2050.” UN Convention to Combat DesertificationIn Nigeria, Children Parliament requested State Government to Include Climate Science Education into School Curriculum to Combat Environment Crisis in the country.

Around one in six – or 15.6 million – children in Nigeria are facing hunger in the lead up to the lean season, according to a new analysis.

A staggering 7,202 cases of diphtheria, a highly contagious bacterial infection fatal without treatment, were confirmed in Nigeria last week

More than 1,680 schoolchildren have been kidnapped in Nigeria since the 2014 abduction of 276 schoolgirls from Chibok in Borno State, with fear of att

A relentless wave of attacks against farmers in Nigeria by armed groups is threatening to worsen the hunger crisis.

With a national prevalence rate of 32%, an estimated 2 million Nigerian children under five currently suffer from severe acute malnutrition.

Pneumonia is the leading infectious cause of child death in the world. On average, almost 2,000 children die every day from pneumonia.

Extreme floods throw the lives of 19 million children off course in past three months – Save the Children

More than a quarter of people in the world’s worst food crisis are living in West and Central Africa

Deadly floods in Niger and Nigeria affect 75,000 children and leave communities in disarray

Statement in response to the attack on St Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Ondo State, Nigeria

Joint press release: West Africa faces its worst food crisis in ten years, with over 27 million people already suffering from hunger

Safe Schools Conference: 300 children call on world leaders to protect schools from attack

A day in the life of Chachu Tadicha – team leader for Borno State Field Office, Nigeria

‘Millions of children going hungry in North-East Nigeria as attacks devastate lives’ – SAVE THE CHILDREN

Save the Children is “horrified” by reports of 80 college students abducted in Nigeria

NIGERIA – ‘Attacks unacceptable, schools should never be a place of fear’

SAVE THE CHILDREN - ‘School turned into nightmare after attack in Nigeria’

“When I got the radio set, I jumped to the sky”

TO PRIORITISE EDUCATION IS TO PRIORITISE THE FUTURE

Immunisation – Why Vaccines Matter, Now More Than Ever

Save the Children: Covid-19 set to impact hundreds of thousands of children in dangerous mix of poverty, hunger and protection risks

Theresa Lola runs poetry workshop for girls from conflict-affected parts of Nigeria for International Day of the Girl

TWO MIILLION CHILDREN UNABLE TO RETURN TO SCHOOL IN WEST AND CENTRAL AFRICA

Our Girl Champion, Maryam Ahmed and Theresa Lola, Nigerian British poet and current Young People's Laureate for London, recently led a poetry workshop with girls from Nigeria

More children are living in areas affected by armed conflict than at any time over the past two decades, a new report from Save the Children reveals

Pneumonia is on course to kill nearly 11 million children by 2030, new analysis conducted by Johns Hopkins University and Save the Children reveals

Our Girl Champions write the foreword of our new Leave No One Behind report

As the head of Save the Children, one of the best parts of my job is getting to meet amazing children, in the toughest places around the world, who are working to make it a better place. Maryam Ahmed is one of these children. She is a Save the Children Girl Champion.