By Marie-Therese Nanlong

Jos – As Africa commemorates the International Day of the African Child, stakeholders across Nigeria are calling for more than just budgetary commitments and asked for real, measurable change in the lives of Nigerian children.

Children constitute nearly 50% of Nigeria’s over 200 million population, representing more than 102 million young citizens whose rights and well-being are central to the country’s future, and the theme of this year’s celebration is “Planning and Budgeting for Children’s Rights: Progress Since 2010.”

Against this backdrop, SOS Children’s Villages Nigeria has reiterated its call for transformative investments in child development from education, and nutrition to health care and protection services.

Over the past 15 years, Nigeria has indeed made strides in recognizing children within national development frameworks. Notably, the national nutrition budget recorded a dramatic 700% increase between 2021 and 2025, signalling intent to confront child malnutrition.

Allocations to education and health have also improved in some years, reflecting an evolving understanding of the vital role young people play in national growth.

Yet, according to Eghosa Erhumwunse, National Director of SOS Children’s Villages Nigeria, in a statement issued by Rhoda Ocheche, Advocacy and Communication Manager at SOS Children’s Villages, implementation has not kept pace with policy promises.

“There are persistent gaps between budget allocations and actual releases. Without bridging that gap, progress remains superficial,” he stressed.

The education sector illustrates this disconnect. In 2020, it received 6.5% of the national budget, which fell to 5.6% in 2021, rose to 7.9% in 2022, and then dropped again to 5.98% in 2024. Of particular concern is the execution rate: in 2021, only ₦127 billion of the ₦742 billion allocated for education capital projects was released just 17% of the total allocation. This pattern of poor disbursement is mirrored in the health and social protection sectors.

Erhumwunse underscored the urgency of meaningful action, saying “The Nigerian child deserves more than promises on paper. Budgeting for children is not optional, it is imperative. Every naira invested in children today secures a better Nigeria tomorrow.”

While acknowledging the Nigerian government’s steps toward integrating children’s issues in national and subnational budgets, SOS commended recent commitments, such as improved transparency through budget coding and tracking, welcoming the decision to inaugurate the long-awaited Child Rights and Welfare Commission, expected to boost cross-sectoral coordination and enhance accountability.

To sustain momentum, SOS Children’s Villages is urging government at all levels to increase and ring-fence budget allocations for children, ensure full disbursement, and implement transparent tracking mechanisms. Crucially, it calls for the full operationalization of the Child Rights and Welfare Commission by Q3 2025.