Nigeria’s large out-of-school children population is a big cause for concern as it exacerbates poverty, instability, and illiteracy. With 18.3 million children not attending school, the country has one of the highest rates of out-of-school children globally. Systemic shortcomings in the Education sector, poverty, and Insecurity have all contributed to this figure’s rapid increase from prior years. This crisis undermines the nation’s long-term growth trajectory as it involves issues beyond education, to encompass economic and social ramifications.
UNICEF draws attention to the wider effects that feed cycles of Poverty and inequality, such as inadequate funding for education, a shortage of educators, and subpar educational facilities. Nigeria invests 1.2% of its GDP to education, much less than the global average, which causes serious shortages in instructors and classroom supplies. Millions of children’s education is disrupted and schools are forced to close as a result of these problems being made worse by insecurity. The development of Nigeria’s human capital is greatly impacted by the effects of having such a sizable portion of its youth population without formal education.
Growing population may end up being more of a liability.
A high percentage of children not attending school means a future workforce with lower skill levels. This slows Economic Growth by lowering the country’s ability to compete on the global scene in fields that need qualified labour. Children who are not in school are at a higher risk of engaging in social vices such as child labour, terrorism, and crime. Instead of prioritizing economic development, the government is concentrating its resources on solving these societal issues. With the current high out-of-school child rate, Nigeria runs the risk of producing a generation that is unprepared to meet the demands of a contemporary and increasingly technologically advanced global economy.
The immediate effect on the Economy is demonstrated by the low Productivity levels that inevitably result from a workforce with inadequate education. Over the long run, this diminishes Nigeria’s competitiveness on a global level. By 2050, Nigeria is expected to have the third-largest population in the world, but its growing population may end up being more of a liability than an asset if appropriate investments are not made in education. The World Bank has already issued a warning, stating that Nigeria faces the possibility of a demographic time bomb in which Economic Development is outpaced by population increase, with dire consequences for levels of inequality and poverty.
Children’s lack of access to a basic education impedes SDG4.
Experts and international organizations like UNESCO and the UN have expressed grave concerns regarding the long-term consequences of this educational catastrophe. They placed emphasis on the fact that millions of Nigerian children lack access to a basic education, which impedes the country’s progress toward important Sustainable Development goals (SDGs), especially SDG 4, which advocates for a quality education that is equitable and inclusive. The UN resonated this issue to more general worries about Security and peace, pointing out that out-of-school children are more susceptible to being groomed by criminal and extremist groups.
For example, severe educational deprivation has contributed to the insurgencies and conflicts in Northern Nigeria. A UNESCO Institute for Statistics study states that every year wasted in school diminished future earning potential by about 10%. Considering the number of children not receiving an education, there has been a significant cumulative loss to the GDP of the country. According to estimates from 2023, Nigeria’s education deficit costs the country over $10 billion a year. The ripple effects are visible throughout numerous sectors, from Agriculture to technology, where the shortage of trained personnel hampers Innovation and industrial progress.
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Forecasts indicate that Nigeria’s out-of-school children population will continue to rise in the absence of swift, significant reforms. This puts Africa’s largest economy’s long-term socioeconomic growth in grave jeopardy. Experts estimate that if current trends continue, over 30 million children in Nigeria may not be attending school by 2030. This would further lower Nigeria’s standing in the world’s human capital rankings and make it more challenging for the government to achieve its development objectives. Comprehensive educational reforms, more funding for school infrastructure, and tightened security are desperately needed to lessen these effects.