Peter Obi, Labour Party presidential candidate in the last general elections, has lamented the dire conditions faced by Nigerian children, warning that the average child in Nigeria “has a long stretch of difficult road, filled with many existential challenges, ahead of them.”
Obi made this known in a statement released on Tuesday in commemoration of the 2025 Children’s Day celebration, where he lamented the harsh realities threatening the future of millions of young Nigerians, ranging from hunger, malnutrition, and poor healthcare to lack of access to education, insecurity, and child labour.
“A Nigerian child who survives at birth is faced with hunger and malnutrition in early childhood,” Obi said. Citing a 2024 UNICEF report, he revealed that around 11 million children in Nigeria are suffering from severe food poverty, with one in four under the age of five stunted due to malnutrition—particularly in rural areas.
He also highlighted the country’s number of out-of-school children. “Our nation today is home to over 18 million out-of-school children, among the highest in the world. This is not just a statistic — it is a deep national wound,” he said.
“Each out-of-school child represents a dream deferred, a future endangered, and a country that is failing to uphold its most sacred responsibility.”
According to the former Anambra governor, primary healthcare services that should support Nigerian children are “practically non-existent,” while insecurity has forced many to flee their homes or abandon their dreams in pursuit of survival.
He referenced a 2022 National Bureau of Statistics report which found that 46.5% of children aged 5–14 were engaged in child labour.
Yet, despite these statistics, Obi praised the resilience and creativity of Nigerian children. “Our duty as leaders, and indeed compatriots, is to encourage the children, inspire greatness in them and support their journey. Their dreams are valid and we must invest in their future, our future,” he said.
He called on leaders at all levels to act with urgency, stressing that Nigeria’s youthful population must be seen as a national asset. “A 2023 report from UNICEF estimates that over 110 million people under the age of 18 live in Nigeria… Their future is the future of the nation,” he stated.
Obi reaffirmed his commitment to building a nation that nurtures and protects every child. “We must build a nation where no child is left behind and where the child of a nobody can become somebody through hard work and productivity,” he said.
“Happy Children’s Day to all Nigerian children. I want you to know that you are not forgotten. We see your struggles, your strength, and your light. We will continue to fight for a Nigeria where you can dream freely, learn safely, and rise boldly,” he concluded.
