Nigeria’s 38m under-fives face developmental gaps, say stakeholders

With about 38 million children under the age of five in Nigeria, stakeholders in the early childhood development (ECD) sector have called for urgent and coordinated investment in the formative years, warning that failures to adequately nurture the country’s youngest population could have far-reaching consequences for its human capital development.

The stakeholders, comprising government representatives, development partners, civil society organisations, academics and other actors in the ECD space, said Nigeria could no longer afford fragmented interventions in the areas of healthcare, education, nutrition, social protection, child protection and responsive caregiving.

They spoke at a consultation workshop with civil society organisations and the media, organised as part of the World Bank’s Early Childhood Development Inception Mission.

The call came against the backdrop of a disclosure by a neurodevelopmental paediatrician at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Prof. Oluwatosin Olorunmeteri, that only 47.7 per cent of Nigerian children are developing on track, with gaps also recorded in literacy, numeracy and executive functioning.

The stakeholders maintained that the first five years of life represent a critical window for shaping a child’s brain development, learning capacity, physical growth, emotional well-being and future productivity.

Speaking at the engagement, National Coordinator, Open Government Partnership (OGP), Dr Gloria Ahmed, described ECD as an investment in Nigeria’s human capital and future prosperity rather than a mere social intervention.

She said the country needed stronger coordination among government institutions, development partners, civil society organisations, communities, parents and caregivers if it must reverse existing gaps in child development.

“Early childhood development is a critical foundation for the future of every nation. It is not merely a social intervention; it is an investment in human capital development and in the future prosperity of any nation,” Ahmed said.

According to her, effective ECD delivery would require evidence-based planning, adequate financing, effective implementation and transparent monitoring.

She stressed that open governance principles, including transparency, accountability, citizen participation and inclusive decision-making, must be embedded in programmes designed to improve the welfare of children.

Ahmed also identified civil society organisations as critical players in the ECD ecosystem, saying they could amplify the voices of parents, caregivers and children, monitor service delivery and expenditure, create public awareness and demand accountability from institutions responsible for child development.

Also speaking, the World Bank Task Team Leader, Early Childhood, Dr Ritgak Tilley-Gyado, said the size of Nigeria’s child population made coordinated action particularly urgent.

She said interventions in healthcare, nutrition, responsive caregiving, parenting, protection and early learning during the early years could significantly influence children’s educational attainment, lifetime earnings and eventual contribution to national productivity.

Tilley-Gyado called for an “all-of-society” approach involving governments at all levels, development partners, civil society organisations, traditional and faith-based institutions, the private sector and communities.

“What this agenda says is that the effort is to coalesce all of government horizontally across sectors, vertically across the four tiers of government,” she said.

She said the greatest opportunity for improving Nigeria’s human capital was concentrated in the early years because children’s physical growth, upbringing and development could still be significantly influenced through appropriate interventions.

The World Bank official also underscored the importance of social accountability, describing civil society as a critical channel for citizens to demand results and ensure that government and development partners honoured their commitments to children.

She added that disability inclusion, environmental safeguards and the protection of vulnerable populations would also be prioritised as Nigeria strengthens its ECD interventions.

From the medical perspective, Olorunmeteri said the first five years were crucial to brain development and the acquisition of physical, emotional, social and communication skills.

She explained that the quality of care and experiences children received during the period could significantly determine their capacity to learn and develop later in life.

According to her, good health, adequate nutrition, responsive caregiving, safety and security, and opportunities for early learning constitute essential elements of nurturing care.

She warned that hunger, violence, neglect, infections and toxic stress could undermine children’s development and leave lasting consequences.

“Only about 47.7 per cent of Nigerian children are developing on track, with gaps also recorded in literacy, numeracy and executive functioning,” she said.

The paediatrician therefore called for stronger multisectoral collaboration among government, civil society, development partners and communities to tackle the challenges confronting Nigerian children and strengthen existing interventions.

She stressed that sustained investment in the early years was indispensable to building the skilled, healthy and productive population required for Nigeria’s future development.

The consultation ultimately highlighted the need for Nigeria to move beyond fragmented child-focused programmes towards a coordinated, accountable and inclusive national framework capable of translating investments in the country’s youngest population into measurable improvements in health, learning, protection and productivity.