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• as Minister pledges policy overhaul to protect 100m+ children
From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
First Lady of Nigeria, Oluremi Tinubu and the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Imaan Suliaman-Ibrahim on Tuesday handed over cash prizes and laptops to winners of the national essay and science competitions at the National Children’s Day ceremony, held under the theme “Future Now: Promoting Inclusion for Every Child.”
Top winners received N1 million, second-place got N500,000, and third-place recipients were awarded N250,000. Laptops and tablets were also distributed to all children at the event to support the students’ learning and digital skills.
In her remarks, she urged Nigerians to make inclusion the centrepiece of national development, saying the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda is investing in children’s education, health and protection.
“Today is not only a celebration of our children, but also a reminder of our shared responsibility to build a nation where every child is valued, protected, educated, and given the opportunity to thrive.”
Mrs. Tinubu commended the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development for organising the event ahead of the national holiday on 27 May. “Celebrating them ahead of the annual children’s day on 27th May, which coincides with Sallah celebration this year, shows the importance we place on the children of this nation,” she said.
She said the theme “calls on us to create a society where no child is left behind regardless of gender, background, ethnicity, religion, or social status,” she declared, adding that “inclusion, irrespective of age must remain at the center of our national development.”
Mrs. Tinubu listed priority areas she said every child must access. “Every Nigerian child deserves access to quality education, healthcare, protection, digital skills, and a safe environment where they can reach their full potential,” she said.
She used the platform to highlight the administration’s efforts under President Bola Tinubu. “Beloved children, I want you to know that Mr. President, His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, is working hard to ensure a better and brighter future for you. Through the Renewed Hope Agenda, Mr. President is investing in your education, health, child nutrition, child’s right and protection. He is removing barriers to education for the girl child, expanding vocational and STEM opportunities, and ensuring that no child is left behind.”
The First Lady also spoke directly to children present. “My charge to you today is that you should aim higher; do not allow the environment define your limit,” she said. She invoked national symbols to encourage patriotism: “Wherever you see the Nigerian flag, know that it says, Nigeria believes in you, and Nigeria expects you to make her proud.”
Mrs. Tinubu congratulated winners of the National Essay Competition and young innovators at the event. “Your thoughtful ideas, and creativity demonstrate that the future of Nigeria is bright and full of promise,” she said, urging all children to “remain focused on your education, embrace discipline, respect, and love for country.”
Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajia Imaan Sulaiman‑Ibrahim, pledged to modernise child‑protection architecture to meet new threats to children, while unveiling a unified delivery framework — the Renewed Hope Social Impact Intervention 774 (RH‑SII 774) — to coordinate national actions for children’s wellbeing.
She noted that Nigeria’s child population — “over 100 million; one of the largest child populations in the world” — imposes a national duty to invest deliberately in “survival, protection, education, participation, and development.”
“This reality places a profound obligation on the State to deliberately invest in their survival, protection, education, participation, and development,” Sulaiman-Ibrahim said. “The theme, ‘Future Now: Promoting Inclusion for Every Nigerian Child,’ captures a national urgency: the need to protect children in a rapidly changing world marked by violence, exploitation, digital threats, learning gaps, and mental health pressures.”
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She described RH‑SII 774 as “a unified National delivery framework for women and child wellbeing,” designed to transform what she called fragmented efforts into “a coordinated national system anchored on results, data, and accountability.” A key aim, she said, is to ensure the Federal, State and Local Governments work to the same evidence‑based plans and performance indicators through a stronger National Council on Women Affairs and Child Development.
“This policy reset is critical,” the minister said, explaining plans to review and update outdated instruments including the National Child Policy (2009) and the Child Adoption Policy. “We are also strengthening and modernizing the Child Adoption Policy and related child protection instruments to align Nigeria with global standards of safeguarding, due process, ethical adoption systems, and child‑centred justice.”
Responding to modern risks, the minister framed the reforms as a response to contemporary dangers faced by children: “digital exploitation, evolving family structures, trafficking risks, and cross‑border adoption complexities,” adding that the ministry will prioritise inclusive services for children with special needs and early intervention systems.
She underlined the ongoing review of the Child Rights Act (2003), domesticated across all 36 states, as part of the package to “strengthen enforcement, close emerging protection gaps, and align Nigeria’s child protection framework with evolving digital realities and global best practices.”
Children as active stakeholders
Beyond protection, the minister said the ministry will emphasise child participation and leadership development, citing the National Children’s Parliament as a successful incubator that has produced alumni active in governance and advocacy. She also highlighted Nigeria’s role at international fora, noting child delegates at the 2025 CSW69 side event in New York and the country’s Pathfinding status with the Global Partnership to End Violence Against Children.
“Nigeria is proud to serve as a Pathfinding Country under the Global Partnership to End Violence Against Children, reflecting our leadership in strengthening legal frameworks, prevention systems, and survivor‑centred responses to violence, abuse, and exploitation,” she said.
The minister reiterated national messaging aimed at boosting community reporting and response: the “See Something, Say Something, We Do Something” campaign, designed to strengthen the country’s response to abuse, trafficking, bullying and harmful practices affecting children.
She called for sustained collaboration with development partners and civil society, thanking UNICEF, Save the Children, the World Bank and others for support. “As a Government, we remain firmly committed to building a Nigeria where every child is protected and empowered,” she said, urging a “whole‑of‑government and whole‑of‑society approach” so that child wellbeing becomes a shared national responsibility.
The minister urged children to stay focused and reject negative influences. “To our dear children, this is your moment. Stay focused, embrace learning, uphold strong values, and reject violence, drugs, abuse, and every negative influence. Nigeria believes in you, and we are building systems to protect your future and unlock your full potential,” Sulieman-Ibrahim said.
Delivering a goodwill message on behalf of the National Coordinator of the National Counter-Terrorism Centre (NCTC), Major General Adamu Laka (rted), who was represented told the gathering that protecting children is central to preventing radicalisation and violent extremism. “Promoting inclusion is not only a moral responsibility but also a strategic investment in peacebuilding, national cohesion, and the prevention of violent extremism, terrorism, and other forms of insecurity,” the NCTC message said.
He noted the particular vulnerability of children “affected by conflict, displacement, poverty, and social exclusion” and reaffirmed a pledge to “develop/support policies and programmes that promote rehabilitation, reintegration, psychosocial care, and inclusive development for affected children.”
He ended with a plea to young people: “Continue to embrace the values of peace, unity, discipline, tolerance, and patriotism. Avoid violence, criminality, drug abuse, hate speech, and all negative influences that threaten your future and national peace.”
International agencies at the event echoed the call. Wafaa Abdulatef of UNICEF praised the children’s creativity and urged adults to listen beyond a single day of observance. “Let us listen to children. Not only during this Children’s Day, but also every day,” she said. “A Nigeria that protects its children is a Nigeria that a predictable solution.”
Mathew Verghis, Country Director of the World Bank, described children as the country’s largest asset and urged investment in early life to deliver long-term returns. “The story of Nigeria’s future … will be determined and that happens in the earliest years of life,” he told the audience, citing national programmes the Bank supports in nutrition, education and water, sanitation and hygiene.
Health officials also highlighted the administration’s commitments. The Executive Secretary of the National Primary Health Care Development Authority, Muyi Aina said the government is reinforcing child nutrition and public health programmes, pledging “to fully commit to every one of our children to have access to the very important” health services.
