Education stakeholders have raised fresh concerns over Nigeria’s worsening out-of-school children crisis, warning that the growing number of children excluded from formal education poses a serious threat to the country’s economic growth, security, social stability and future competitiveness if urgent and coordinated interventions are not implemented.
The warning was issued during the 4th Education Summit 2026, organised by the Ibironke Adeagbo Foundation in Lagos, where representatives from government institutions, the private sector, development organisations, financial institutions and civil society groups examined the implications of Nigeria’s education deficit and called for a unified national response to reverse the trend.
Findings presented at the summit showed that Nigeria continues to have the world’s largest population of out-of-school children, with estimates indicating that between 14.8 million and over 18.3 million children of primary and junior secondary school age remain outside the formal education system. Participants warned that the persistent exclusion of millions of children from education is creating a widening knowledge gap capable of undermining national productivity, deepening poverty and exposing vulnerable youths to criminality and violent extremism.
The summit centred on a newly released white paper titled “The Danger of the Knowledge Gap,” which examined the scale of Nigeria’s education crisis and its long-term consequences. The report argues that failure to provide quality education for every child could weaken the country’s human capital development, reduce its global competitiveness, increase unemployment and widen social inequality.
Founder of the Ibironke Adeagbo Foundation, Mrs. Ibironke Adeagbo, stressed that addressing the crisis should no longer be viewed solely as the responsibility of government. She noted that sustainable progress would require deliberate collaboration among federal and state governments, development partners, corporate organisations, financial institutions, philanthropic foundations and civil society groups.
According to her, ensuring that every Nigerian child has access to quality education is both a moral obligation and an investment in the country’s future. She emphasised that collective action remains the only sustainable pathway to reducing the number of out-of-school children and improving educational outcomes nationwide.
The summit also highlighted concerns that the continued rise in the number of children outside the classroom could have far-reaching security implications. Participants noted that children deprived of education are more susceptible to child labour, exploitation, forced marriages, organised crime, recruitment by extremist groups and other social vices, thereby increasing long-term risks to national peace and stability.
Delivering the keynote address, senior lawyer and human rights advocate Femi Falana called for greater transparency and accountability in education financing. He urged Nigerians and advocacy organisations to utilise the Freedom of Information Act to demand accountability from public institutions responsible for education funding, policy implementation and service delivery, arguing that effective oversight is critical to improving access to quality education.
Stakeholders further observed that despite various government interventions over the years, millions of Nigerian children remain unable to access basic education because of poverty, insecurity, inadequate infrastructure, displacement, cultural barriers, child labour and weak implementation of existing education policies. They stressed that tackling these underlying challenges requires sustained political commitment alongside increased investment in schools, teachers and learning facilities.
The summit concluded with a strong appeal for all stakeholders including governments at all levels, development agencies, private organisations and community leaders to work together in ensuring that every Nigerian child has access to inclusive, equitable and quality education. Participants maintained that investing in education remains one of the most effective strategies for securing Nigeria’s future, reducing inequality and promoting sustainable national development.
