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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

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

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

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

Discover all you need to know about Save the Children's work in Nigeria.

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

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

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

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

Meet Purity Oriaifo, Save the Children Nigeria Youth Ambassador

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

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

An analysis by Save the Children found an uptick in school kidnappings in Nigeria since January 2024, with at least 10 attacks affecting more than 670 children.

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

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

Death rates from major cholera outbreaks in Sudan and Nigeria have surged to up to three times the global average putting thousands of children at risk as cases continue to rise as conflict and flooding hamper access to treatment, said Save the Children.

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

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.

We work to ensure that all children in Nigeria are protected from violence and harm. We especially work to protect orphans, vulnerable children and children affected by conflict.Our programmes operate from the community up to the national level to promote children's rights and protection. Focus areas include preventing early child marriage, ending violence against children and meeting the needs of orphans and vulnerable children.Through our humanitarian response, we provide unaccompanied and/or separated children with psycho-social support in Child-Friendly Spaces and services.

We work to ensure that all children in Nigeria are protected from violence and harm. We especially work to protect orphans, vulnerable children and children affected by conflict.Our programmes operate from the community up to the national level to promote children's rights and protection. Focus areas include preventing early child marriage, ending violence against children and meeting the needs of orphans and vulnerable children.Through our humanitarian response, we provide unaccompanied and/or separated children with psycho-social support in Child-Friendly Spaces and services.

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

“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.

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

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.

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)

Find a job at Save the Children International.

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

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.

Lead Writer - Yusuf MustaphaSave the Children Nigeria is restoring safe learning spaces for crisis-affected children in Katsina, Zamfara and Kaduna States in Northwest Nigeria in partnership with Goal Prime Organisation Nigeria, with support from the Education Cannot Wait (ECW) First Emergency Response grant (FER).

We work with and for children, through Children Parliaments, Civil Society Organizations, community structures, partners and other stakeholders to influence duty bearers to put in place laws, policies and strategies that impact children to survive, learn and be protected. SC does sensitization, awareness raising, mobilization and community engagement, with an aim to amplify the voices of children around issues that affect them, including but not limited to inequalities, early, child and forced marriage, climate change, malnutrition, displacement, trafficking, gender-based violence, unsafe schools, child labour, and lack of access to basic social services. We promote the adoption and implementation of social protection policies and advocating for an increased and sustainable public investment in children, among others. One of our major areas of work is leading the advocacy towards the full implementation of the Child Protection Law at the State level and Child Rights Act at the national level, among others. We also have a global campaign called Generation Hope, which mobilizes duty bearers and right holders to build a greener, fairer and liveable planet for children.

We are committed to strengthening the delivery of services using evidence-based interventions across the Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, Adolescent Health and Nutrition (RMNCAH+N) continuum of care. We also implement creative and sustainable social and behavioural change programming and focuses on engaging and strengthening communities to increase collective decision-making, participation, and action on health-related issues. We recognise that adequate nutrition during the 1,000 days window (from conception to the child's second birthday) produces a lifetime of benefits for individuals, families, and nations. We work to improve the nutrition of mothers, newborn babies, and children, integrating early childhood development, nutrition sensitive agriculture and gender transformative approaches, with special attention to poor and vulnerable communities.Our Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) programmes support households, communities, schools, health facilities, nutrition centres, child friendly spaces, livelihood centres etc. SC collaborates with governments, civil society and communities to develop market-oriented, climate and gender-smart approaches to improve water quality. We also support in improving sanitation facilities and reducing open defecation. Our programs also have empowered women by supporting Menstrual Hygiene Management.We also advocate for increased government financial commitment for health and nutrition.

Abuja, Nigeria — 30 June 2026: The Humanitarian Leadership Academy (HLA) and Save the Children in Nigeria will host Humanitarian Xchange (HX) in Abuja under the theme, ~Strengthening Local Voices, Partnerships, and Innovation in Humanitarian Response”. HX is a platform for sharing and connectivity across the humanitarian sector; the platform bridges the gap between international humanitarian actors and local responders, ensuring that crisis-affected communities have a direct voice in shaping humanitarian action.

The unprecedented heavy rains across Nigeria, Mali, Niger and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have created a worsening education crisis.

Two attacks in Nigeria have highlighted the ongoing vulnerability of schools to attack, with more than 300 children and staff kidnapped from a school in central Nigeria on Friday, and more than 20 schoolgirls kidnapped from a boarding school in neighboring Kebbi state on Monday.

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.

Miriam*, 16, walks past shelters in a camp for displaced people in Borno, Nigeria

Save the Children has launched a photo series to celebrate the resilience of refugee children

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.

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

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.

Lead Writer- Yusuf MustaphaChildren affected by conflict and displacement face barriers to learning. For children with disabilities, these challenges become even more burdensome. To ease these burdens, Save the Children Nigeria, in partnership with Education Cannot Wait, with funding support from the Government of Japan, provides assistive devices, learning materials, dignity and hygiene kits to children with disabilities.

“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.

About 70% of Nigerian children lack access to water, hygiene, and sanitation facilities. [BMC Pediatrics] [1]More than 161 million people in Nigeria rely on contaminated water sources, and only 6% of healthcare facilities have basic WASH services. [UNICEF] [2]Only 26.5 per cent of the population use improved drinking water sources and sanitation facilities. [UNICEF] [3]Over 10 million school children lack basic sanitation at school. [Wellbeing Foundation Africa & Reckitt][4]

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.

“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

Media contact: Mogbonjubade Adesuluremogbonjubade.adesulure@savethechildren.org

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

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

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

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

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.

Press Release on the malnutrition and hunger among refugees in Niger

COVID-19 leads to 60 percent increase in children who need urgent humanitarian assistance across West Africa

Lead writer - Mogbonjubade AdesulureHow one announcement opened the door to a second chance at education for Umma*. Read on to find out how! a { text-decoration: none; color: #464feb; } tr th, tr td { border: 1px solid #e6e6e6; } tr th { background-color: #f5f5f5; }

Lead writer: Mogbonjubade AdesulureAdamu*, a father, farmer, and retired teacher, shares how the Safe Family Session supported more open and positive relationships between parents and children in his community. Read more

Save the Children analysis released during the 37th African Union (AU) in Addis Ababa show dramatic rise in violence.

Immunisation – Why Vaccines Matter, Now More Than Ever

The total number of children in sub-Saharan Africa displaced within their home countries by climate-induced disasters nearly doubled last year, said S

The collapse in nutrition funding globally has been predicted to cut off treatment for 15.6 million people across 18 countries including over 2.3 million severely malnourished children in 2025 and predicted to continue to deteriorate in 2026.

Gender Matters for Children in Conflict

TO PRIORITISE EDUCATION IS TO PRIORITISE THE FUTURE

Children are calling on world leaders meeting at the COP29 Summit in Azerbaijan to include children’s needs in their response to the climate crisis. Photos and link to the full press conference available here.

Last week, Ukraine became the 100th country to endorse the Safe Schools Declaration.

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.

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

One in four victims of trafficking and exploitation in Europe are children

a { text-decoration: none; color: #464feb; } tr th, tr td { border: 1px solid #e6e6e6; } tr th { background-color: #f5f5f5; } By Mogbonjubade Adesulure When cholera began spreading through Borno State in early May, what followed was one of the most severe outbreaks the state had seen in recent years. What made the difference during one of Borno's most severe cholera outbreaks, and what will it take to keep children and families safe in the months ahead? *Read more...

Children are calling on world leaders to step up and invest in their futures after today’s donor conference raised just over half of the US$1.5 billio

CHILDREN AFFECTED BY ARMED CONFLICT IN AFRICA CALL ON GOVERNMENTS TO TAKE ACTION TO PROTECT MOST VULNERABLE

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

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

Severe pneumonia leaves 4.2 million children desperate for oxygen each year

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

ECOWAS takes another important step towards ending child marriage

EDUCATION REMAINS UNDER ATTACK, WHAT MORE CAN BE DONE?

Children are the experts on their education and futures

An estimated 6.4 million adults in 12 countries[ii] were likely driven one step closer to getting COVID-19 vaccinations following Save the Children’s first behavioural science-led social media campaign to promote COVID vaccines, in collaboration with Meta, using Facebook and Instagram.

Niger is one of the top 10 countries globally affected by climate change. Women are at the forefront of climate adaptation in Niger.

One boy’s wish to learn & protect education from attack

Tens of thousands forced out of school by floods in Sub-Saharan Africa

Africa faces a catastrophe to dwarf all others

Hunger rising among children in drought-hit Niger as violence drives influx of refugees

Lead Writer - Ibrahim Lawan

Child marriage kills more than 60 girls a day

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

“Listen to us”: What children want from COP28 children's voices

One in five children in fragile states risk dropping out of school as COVID takes its toll: Save the Children

Education in a quarter of the world’s countries is on the brink of collapse without urgent action – Save the Children

An astonishing 60 million children who need help to survive this year – half of all the children in need globally – live in just eight countries

One child dies of pneumonia every 39 seconds, agencies warn

African leaders must step up commitments to supporting girls’ education, especially during crises!

About 95,000 mothers supported by Save the Children may have to give birth without a skilled health worker present in the next 12 months putting themselves and their babies at risk, unless life-saving aid programmes continue, said Save the Children.

End conflict; find solutions to the climate crisis so children are not forced from their homes; give girls a louder voice

10 positive outcomes for children in 2022 from progress to ending child marriage to FGM

Analysis shows children are uniquely and horrifically injured and impacted by explosive weapons compared to adults

More than half a million children in conflict zones could die from extreme hunger before the end of the year, new research by Save the Children shows

From braiding to carving and to kicking a ball – refugee children use hobbies to ease into new homes

Children in conflict at highest risk of violence since records began

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

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

At least 23 children have been killed in an attack on Ituri camp in DRC

Devastating flash floods and mudslides are feared to have killed more than 200 children with another 90 children separated from their families

STATEMENT ON US LANDMINES POLICY REVERSAL

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

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

One girl under 15 married every seven seconds

Violence against children in armed conflict reached the highest level ever recorded in 2024 according to new UN report, with 41,370 violations - a 25% increase from 2023.

About one in 8 children globally have been significantly impacted by the 10 biggest extreme weather events so far this year, having to flee their homes, becoming reliant on aid or missing out on school, Save the Children said.

In a world beset by bad news, vaccines have been a shining light of hope and human progress. For more than two centuries, scientists, doctors and communities have built on knowledge and experience to help children and adults live longer and better lives.

More than 5% of children in the Democratic Republic of Congo area now displaced after the number of people forced from their homes rose by 27%

A deadly mix of conflict, climate change and poverty have pushed 2.3 million children aged under 5 in South Sudan into life threatening acute malnutrition, with rates soaring just months after foreign governments announced the slashing of funds to the world’s poorest countries, Save the Children said.

DRAWING A BETTER FUTURE

En Afrique de l’Ouest et au Sahel, de nombreuses communautés font face à des défis persistants liés à la sécurité alimentaire.Pour y répondre, #Save the Children en collaboration avec #Oxfam, #ActionContrelaFaim et le #RéseauBillitalMaroobé agit chaque jour pour renforcer la prévention des crises et améliorer les réponses apportées sur le terrain.Derrière ces efforts, il y a des femmes, des hommes et des organisations locales mobilisés pour mieux comprendre les situations et agir plus efficacement.À ce jour, 342 acteurs ont déjà été accompagnés pour renforcer leurs capacités d’anticipation et d’action.Parce qu’agir plus tôt, c’est protéger des vies notamment celles des enfants.

Save the Children is proud to announce the finalists for its inaugural Global Media Awards 2024, representing outlets from around the world whose innovative & impactful reporting has raised awareness about the challenges & achievements of children whose unique rights were first recognised exactly 100 years ago.

CHILDREN IN SOUTH SUDAN SAY HUNGER IS FORCING THEM INTO CHILD MARRIAGE AND CRIME

Drones delivering blood have revolutionised medical care for women giving birth at Rwanda’s largest refugee camp

CHILDHOOD UNDER LOCKDOWN

Still left behind? New research underscores the need for urgent action

Why is it important to invest in midwives?

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.

Catch-up clubs to stop children dropping out after world’s longest school closure

Rotavirus vaccines made available for use in humanitarian crises

Read the words of Hadiza, a girl from Niger, on why education is the most effective weapon to change the world.

Hearing from children in our digital hangouts

Child survival: Decades of progress at risk

Using data to support the most vulnerable children

Now is the Time for Ubuntu

Violence in the North Kivu region of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has forced over 500 schools to close in the past year.

About six million children were pushed into hunger in the top 10 countries that faced worsening food crises this year, Save the Children.

Immediate action needed to protect children from the global hunger crisis

Six children a minute left without caregivers from COVID-19 at risk of orphanages

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

Keeping Learning Alive

COVID-19: Millions out of school, jeopardising the future of children in West and Central Africa