The challenges of young Nigerians are profound and pervasive. Many adolescent girls, young women (AG&YW) and boys are inhibited by socio-cultural and socio-economic factors that impede their wellbeing and development. Also, violent conflicts and widespread insecurity form part of everyday challenges for millions of young people in Nigeria. From limited access to education, healthcare and health rights, basic survival services to threats to human insecurity, sexual violence or being used as an instrument of war.
Girls in relatively non-volatile environments are either inhibited by structural and cultural segregations or are domestic and sexual abuse victims. Beyond political representation, many women and girls do not have adequate access to education. For example, 60 per cent of the 13.2 million out-of-school children in Nigeria are girls. Lack of access to education further inhibits their ability to access quality healthcare, be informed about their sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), secure jobs, earn decent pay, make informed decisions and even have a stable family relationship. For instance, only about 46 per cent of married or in-union women in Nigeria between the ages of 15 to 49 make their own SRHR-related decisions, according to the United Nations Populations Fund (UNFPA).
Poverty and limited access to education are enablers of SRHR gaps among young Nigerians. According to the United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), one in every five of the world’s out-of-school children is in Nigeria. These children vulnerable to armed groups are exposed to terror and sexual violence. SRHR information is largely non-existent in this situation—lack of education limit the ability to access information on SRHR and other self-benefitting knowledge. The majority of Nigeria’s 13.2 million out of school children are from the Almajiri system. About 69 per cent of this population are children from Northern Nigeria. As members of some Islamic boarding houses, formal education is a far cry. The risks posed by poorly catered children in a country waging war against jihadist fighters is enormous. In June 2019, Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno, described the Almajiri system as a breeding ground for insecurity.
Over the years, the Almajiri programme has co-existed alongside the formal school system and has failed to be subsumed into the formal education sector. For instance, Nigeria’s former president, Goodluck Jonathan, reportedly spent about ₦15 billion building Almajiri schools to integrate basic education into the Almajiri system. However, there have been reports that are the structures built for the purpose have either been used for conventional education or lay waste because its pupils have gone back to the old ways of street begging. As a result, most children face exposure from physical and sexual abuse and exploitation, exposure to inhuman conditions, and vulnerability to criminal networks.
The threats to the existence and wellbeing of Nigerian children must be addressed as it impacts their survival and potential as tomorrow’s leaders. The situation of many Nigerian children is dire. First, many are victims of endless conflict, losing parents and caregivers, many more are faced with harsh living conditions due to SRHR and protection deficits. Others who could afford to access education are threatened by violence, where they are prone to abduction, forced into early marriages, sexually abused and used as arsenals to wage war against the Nigerian state.
There is a need to increase children-focused interventions, especially in violent zones. More children risk being kidnapped or coerced into joining armed groups due to their vulnerability. Therefore, more livelihood, nutrition, and child protection programmes are needed to salvage many Nigerian children’s current challenges. The future of children in crisis-impacted zones may appear uncertain, but adequate intervention efforts will ensure positive outcomes. Beyond education, violent conflict affects all aspects of human endeavours. Therefore, addressing the various conflict issues in Nigeria will help prevent its implication on education and other socio-economic activities. Meaningful development cannot happen in the absence of peace and stability. Managing conflict in Nigeria will help the government and its development partners’ effort towards targeted development assistance across Nigeria.