The House of Representatives has called for an urgent transformation of Nigeria’s national budgeting framework, stressing the need to place children at the core of development policies.
This declaration came on Monday during the 2025 Day of the African Child event, organized by the Hope Alive Initiative in collaboration with the Erudie Growth and Advancement Foundation (ERGAF-Africa). With the theme, “Child Rights-Based Budgeting in Nigeria: The Role of Policymakers,” the gathering sparked an impassioned demand for a paradigm shift in national governance.
Deputy Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, represented by his Special Assistant on Women Affairs, Ms. Joy Akut, emphasized that safeguarding children’s rights is not just a moral imperative but a constitutional requirement.
Kalu urged lawmakers to hold themselves accountable by ensuring that every Nigerian child is included in both policy formation and budgetary allocations.
“Child Rights-Based Budgeting (CRBB) is not charity — it is a constitutional obligation, a development strategy, and a globally accepted best practice,” Kalu asserted. “We cannot afford to speak of national progress while our children remain invisible in our policies and underserved in our budgets.”
He further stated that the 10th Assembly is committed to advancing child-focused governance through inclusive legislation, robust oversight mechanisms, and increased budgetary allocations for education, healthcare, and nutrition.
According to Kalu, the legislature’s support for bills such as the Child Destitution Bill and advocacy for the full implementation of the Child Rights Act underscores its commitment to children’s welfare.
Also speaking at the event, Rep. Bamidele Salam (PDP–Osun), Chairman of the House Committee on Public Accounts, described child development as a matter of urgent national priority. “Every other thing can wait, but child development cannot,” he said. “If there’s anything urgent, strategic, and fundamental — it’s the care and protection of our children.”
Dr. Chibuzor Okereke, President of the Hope Alive Initiative, decried the lack of political will to embed child-centred policies into Nigeria’s budgeting process. He explained that while knowledge on the issue exists, the real problem lies in the absence of deliberate and sustained action.
“What is missing is not knowledge, but deliberate action,” he said. “Until child-centered policies are deeply embedded from the Office of the Budget to the local government level, Nigeria’s development will continue to be stunted.”
Okereke called for a “system-wide overhaul,” urging all tiers of government—from the Presidency and National Assembly to state governors and local councils—to adopt child-inclusive fiscal strategies. “A budget that ignores children is a budget that fails the nation,” he emphasized.
Alhaji Abdulsalam Zaura, founder of the AA Zaura Foundation, reinforced that the defense of child rights must begin at home and be upheld by the broader society and policy frameworks. “Any nation that fails to raise its children properly will never get it right — socially, economically, or politically,” he cautioned.
Mrs. Irene Akerele, Principal of Tudun Wada Government Secondary School, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja, added that a national budget that does not address the needs of children is essentially a betrayal of the nation’s future. Drawing on her dual experience as an educator and a parent, she emphasized that children require more than just hope — they need tangible support systems.
“As a teacher and a mother, I know that a child cannot thrive on hope alone. They need support — from schools, from families, and from the government,” Akerele said. “A national budget that does not reflect the needs of its children is a budget that has abandoned its future.”
She appealed to lawmakers to treat CRBB as a strategic investment in the country’s long-term stability. “Every naira we fail to spend on education or healthcare today is a thousand naira lost in trying to fix what we could have prevented tomorrow,” she warned.
The 2025 Day of the African Child, far from being a symbolic celebration, emerged as a serious policy forum, urging Nigerian leaders to recognize children as the foundation of the country’s growth and survival. The takeaway message was clear: the future of Nigeria depends on how it budgets for its children today.
What you should know
At the 2025 Day of the African Child celebration, Nigeria’s lawmakers emphasized the need for Child Rights-Based Budgeting (CRBB) to place children at the forefront of national development.
Lawmakers, educators, and civil society leaders collectively urged for a systemic change in how the government allocates resources, stating that children must be prioritized in policies and funding.
With rising challenges in education, healthcare, and security, stakeholders insist that Nigeria cannot achieve sustainable progress while its children remain marginalized in the budgeting process.
The House of Representatives pledged its commitment to pass inclusive legislation and ensure no child is left behind.
