Mercy Sawok
Stakeholders have called for increased investment in early childhood development and stronger media engagement to improve outcomes for children affected by conflict, displacement and humanitarian crises across Nigeria.
The call was made on Wednesday in Abuja during the inauguration of a report by the Moving Minds Alliance (MMA).
The event also featured the inauguration of Nigeria’s chapter of the Reporters for Early Childhood in Humanitarian Crisis (REACH) Network.
The report, developed with Whole Child Advisors, revealed that in spite of millions of Nigerian children requiring humanitarian assistance, early childhood development in crisis situations remained largely absent from federal and state budgets.
It said that 4.9 million children required humanitarian support, while 3.6 million people were forcibly displaced in 2025, highlighting growing vulnerabilities among children nationwide.
The report also stated that Nigeria’s Human Capital Index stood at 0.36, indicating children achieved only 36 per cent of their productive potential because of persistent gaps in health, nutrition and education.
According to the report, children aged zero to eight years living in humanitarian settings remain “fiscally invisible” because no dedicated budget line exists for Early Childhood Development in Crisis (ECDiC).
It identified weak budget implementation, fragmented financing mechanisms, limited investment in early learning and inequitable allocation of humanitarian resources as major barriers to service delivery.
Speaking virtually, Dr Katie Murphy, Interim Director and Co-Chair of the MMA, described the report as the clearest evidence of financing gaps affecting young children in crises.
Murphy said less than one per cent of global humanitarian funding supported early learning, leaving millions of children without critical care and developmental support.
She said the report provided governments, donors and development partners with evidence needed to strengthen investments in early childhood development.
Announcing the inauguration of the Nigeria chapter of the REACH Network, Murphy said the initiative would promote sustained media coverage of children in humanitarian settings.
“Your role is not to advocate for a particular agenda but to ask thoughtful questions, tell important stories and ensure the experiences of young children and their families are not overlooked,” she told journalists.
National Coordinator of Nigeria Early Childhood Development in Crisis Coalition, Arome Agenyi, said the network was established to strengthen evidence-based reporting capable of influencing policy decisions.
According to him, Nigeria risks undermining its future workforce and economic productivity if adequate attention is not given to children during their formative years.
“The most important period in human development is between zero and five years, when the brain develops most rapidly.
“If we fail to invest in children during this period, we jeopardise the country’s future human capital, economy and national development,” he said.
Agenyi expressed concern that between 70 and 80 per cent of education budgets were spent on salaries and overheads, while only about five per cent supported early childhood development.
He urged governments at all levels to prioritise dedicated funding for early childhood programmes, particularly for children affected by humanitarian emergencies.
Earlier, Mojeed Alabi, Global Co-Chair of REACH Network, said children who become fiscally invisible also risked becoming politically invisible.
He said the newly inaugurated network would provide journalists with a platform to amplify the voices of vulnerable children and hold governments accountable.
Representatives of the International Rescue Committee (IRC) and Save the Children said children remained the most vulnerable victims of conflict, displacement and humanitarian emergencies.
They noted that insecurity had exposed many children to malnutrition, disrupted education, psychosocial trauma, child labour, early marriage and recruitment by armed groups.
According to them, early childhood development programmes provide nutrition, healthcare, psychosocial support, safe learning spaces and protection services that improve recovery and learning outcomes.
They also urged journalists to report beyond emergency responses by assessing whether children were thriving emotionally, socially and cognitively.
Participants called for stronger collaboration among the media, government and humanitarian organisations to keep children at the centre of policy and investment decisions.
The report recommended seven reforms, including dedicated budget lines for ECDiC, results-based financing, improved budget releases and a joint financing framework.
It projected that by 2027, dedicated ECDiC budget tags would be established across federal and state governments, with at least 70 per cent of allocated funds released annually.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Abiemwense Moru