Education Inequality in Nigeria and the Challenge for the Girl Child

Linking Back to the SDG Report 2025

The UN SDG Report 2025 underscores significant global progress in education: declines in child marriage and increases in youth school completion. Still, around 244 million children and young people worldwide remain out of school, with girls disproportionately affected . This global snapshot sets a critical backdrop: while there are hopeful strides, gaps remain and Nigeria’s education crisis is alarmingly severe.

The Stark Reality: Out-of-School Numbers in Nigeria

Nigeria now tops the world with an estimated 18.3 million out-of-school children (2024), up sharply from earlier estimates.

As of early 2025, 10.5 million children aged 5–14 were already not attending school, often due to poverty, insecurity, early marriages, and insufficient infrastructure.

What's Driving the Crisis?

1. Insecurity & Kidnappings

Northern Nigeria faces frequent school closures and withdrawals due to widespread kidnappings. As of March 2024, armed groups abducted hundreds, with parents often unable to afford ransoms, so many children never return to school.

2. Poverty & Early Marriage

Poverty forces millions into child labor or early marriage, especially girls adding to Nigeria’s status as having Africa’s highest number of child brides.

3. Infrastructure Deficits

Many schools are overcrowded, poorly resourced, or entirely absent, particularly in rural and underserved areas .

Local Solutions

1. Teach For Nigeria (TFN): Building Equity Through Leadership, Teach For Nigeria places passionate graduates into underserved schools for a full two-year leadership and teaching assignment. TFN Fellows bring innovative teaching methods, mentorship, and community engagement, helping to elevate learning standards amid systemic gaps .

2. KEY Academy: Innovation for Tomorrow’s Learners Founded in Lagos in 2019, KEY Academy applies project-based learning (PBL) beyond rote education. Recognized as a Top 10 finalist for the World's Best School Prize for Innovation (2025), the school prepares students for real-world challenges with critical thinking and creativity bridging SDG 4’s quality education goals .

3. Olalekan Adeeko Technology Education in Yoruba

Adeeko, a celebrated Nigerian educator, teaches technology basics in Yoruba via TikTok, YouTube, and Facebook. He co-founded Tedprime Hub, offering STEM education, coding, and SDG awareness in local languages. His impact spans 10,000+ teachers trained across 19 states, making education accessible and culturally resonant.

4. Chess in Slums Africa: Cognitive Learning in Slum Communities

Founded by Tunde Onakoya, this non-profit brings chess education to Lagos slums, promoting critical thinking and offering scholarships. Over 200 children from indigent homes have received lifelong scholarships, empowering learning through strategic play inspiring SDG 4 through non-conventional pathways .

Which innovation matches your community’s learning needs?

Have you seen any local educational innovations in your state? Share below

A Stronger Nigeria Through Education

Education is the backbone of progress yet Nigeria’s children face daunting barriers. From insecurity to systemic poverty, the challenges are immense. But Teach For Nigeria, KEY Academy, Tedprime Hub, and Chess in Slums Africa prove that innovation, inclusion, and localized leadership can deliver results.

As we move toward 2030, Nigeria’s educational future depends on scaling these proven models ensuring every child, especially girls and vulnerable communities, has access to quality, safe, and contextually relevant learning.

For Further Reading?

UNESCO Institute for Statistics. (n.d.). Out-of-school numbers are growing in sub-Saharan Africa. https://www.unesco.org/gem-report/en/publication/out-school-numbers-are-growing-sub-saharan-africa

Adeyemo, J. (2025, June 9). Nigeria’s education crisis deepens…. The Nigeria Education News. https://thenigeriaeducationnews.com/2025/06/09/nigerias-education-crisis-deepens-as-out-of-school-children-surge-to-18-3-million

Nwonu, P. (2025, January 13). 10.5 Million and Counting: Nigeria’s Out-of-School Children... Lightray Media. https://lightraymedia.org/2025/01/13/10-5-million-and-counting-nigerias-out-of-school-children-at-risk-of-extremist-recruitment

Embassy. (2024). Nigeria kidnappings break up families... Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/nigeria-kidnaps-break-up-families-keep-children-out-school-2024-03-14/

Teach For Nigeria. (n.d.). Home. https://teachfornigeria.org/

Prime Progress NG. (2024, July 15). In Nigeria’s underserved communities, Teach for Nigeria improves education quality. https://primeprogressng.com/spotlight/in-nigerias-underserved-communities-teach-for-nigeria-improves-education-quality/

KEY Academy. (2025, June). KEY Academy emerges top 10… BusinessBeat 24. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KEY_Academy

Wikipedia. (n.d.). Olalekan Adeeko. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olalekan_Adeeko

Wikipedia. (n.d.). Chess in Slums Africa. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chess_in_Slums_Africa

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