Nigerian stakeholders demand united action on out-of-school children crisis

Stakeholders across Nigeria's banking, philanthropy, government, corporate, and civil society sectors are urging for a united front to combat the nation's escalating crisis of out-of-school children. They warn that inaction risks undermining national development, economic growth, and security.

The call to action emerged from the 4th Education Summit 2026 in Lagos, organized by the Ibironke Adeagbo Foundation. Discussions focused on practical strategies to enhance educational access and reduce the number of children excluded from schooling. Nigeria grapples with the world's largest population of out-of-school children, with figures estimated between 14.8 million and over 18.3 million at primary and junior secondary levels.

Mrs. Ibironke Adeagbo, the foundation's founder, addressed the summit virtually, stressing that tackling the education crisis is a shared responsibility and a matter of enlightened self-interest. She asserted that sustainable progress hinges on deliberate partnerships between government institutions, development agencies, private sector organizations, and civil society groups. "We need collective action to ensure that every Nigerian child has access to quality education," Adeagbo stated. "Addressing the out-of-school children challenge is not just a social responsibility but an enlightened self-interest for all Nigerians."

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We need collective action to ensure that every Nigerian child has access to quality education. Addressing the out-of-school children challenge is not just a social responsibility but an enlightened self-interest for all Nigerians.

The summit also centered on the foundation's new white paper, "The Danger of the Knowledge Gap," which details the scale and implications of Nigeria's education crisis. Human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN), a patron of the foundation, encouraged citizens and advocacy groups to use the Freedom of Information Act to demand accountability in education funding and policy. He emphasized that transparency in managing education resources is crucial for reversing poor school enrollment and learning outcomes.

Participants, including representatives from SOS Children's Villages, the Aliko Dangote Foundation, and Wellington College Lagos, agreed that fragmented efforts have yielded limited results. They advocated for coordinated, data-driven, and community-based approaches to achieve measurable impact. The Executive Director of IA-Foundation, Mrs. Olufunke Sotinwa, highlighted the immense scale of the challenge.

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Advocacy is not optional.