Lawmakers, policymakers, and education advocates have sounded a resounding alarm over Nigeria’s deepening out-of-school children crisis, warning that the country risks fragmentation, insecurity, and economic collapse if urgent steps are not taken to address the growing education gap.
At the 2025 Uwais-Maiwada Aid Foundation (UMAF) Impact Forum held in Abuja on Monday, speakers from across political and professional divides described the situation as a national emergency requiring swift, coordinated action.
According to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), an estimated 10.5 million Nigerian children aged 5 to 14 are currently out of school — the highest figure in sub-Saharan Africa.
Former Bayelsa State Governor, Chief Timipre Sylva, in a stark address, described the statistics as more than numbers but “a ticking bomb” for the nation’s unity and long-term survival.
“This is not just a northern or southern problem; it is a Nigerian problem,” Sylva said. “The challenge of one region must become the concern of all. If we truly wish to remain one nation, this crisis must unite our resolve, not divide us.”
He identified insecurity, poverty, and ignorance as the major drivers of the crisis and urged stakeholders to shift focus from natural resources to Nigeria’s most underutilized asset — human capital.
Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Basic Education, Hon. Mark Useni, painted a similarly grim picture. Drawing on firsthand insight from his legislative oversight role, he called for collective national responsibility to stem the tide of educational neglect.
“I have seen the reality across states,” Useni noted. “Reversing this trend requires that every Nigerian — regardless of position or location — commits to ensuring every child has access to education. Only then can we sleep with peace of mind.”
Former Minister of Transportation, Mu’azu Sambo, warned that Nigeria’s demographic boom could quickly turn into a developmental disaster if education is not urgently aligned with employability.
“Over 70% of our population is under 35. By 2050, we could be 400 million strong — but if our youth are unskilled, unengaged, and unproductive, the consequences will be catastrophic,” he said.
Sambo emphasised the need for curriculum reform that prioritizes practical skills, digital literacy, and innovation, lamenting that many graduates today are unemployable due to a disconnect between theory and real-world demands.
Executive Secretary of UMAF, Uwais Maiwada, echoed those sentiments, stressing that Nigeria must pivot from certificate-based learning to skill-driven education.
“Today’s forum is about solutions,” Maiwada said. “We must bridge the gap between traditional classroom instruction and the skills required to thrive in a digital, entrepreneurial economy.”
Participants unanimously advocated for public-private partnerships, universal basic education enforcement, and targeted empowerment of marginalised groups, including women and rural communities.
Chairperson of the House Committee on Tertiary Education Fund, Hon. Maria Onuoha, pledged legislative backing for initiatives like UMAF and the Graduate Agripreneur Programme (GAP).
“As a lawmaker, I am committed to ensuring that programmes targeting education, especially those empowering women, receive full legislative support,” she affirmed. “When you empower a woman, you empower a nation.”
The forum ended with a renewed call for urgent, inclusive action across all levels of government and society, as stakeholders warned that Nigeria cannot afford to educate only part of its population and expect national peace or prosperity.
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