10 Million Nigerian Children Miss Early Childhood Education, UBEC Raises Alarm

The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) has raised concerns over the large number of Nigerian children who are currently missing out on early childhood education. According to the commission, an estimated 10 million children are outside early childhood care, development and education programmes across the country. UBEC disclosed the figure during a capacity-building workshop for education officials in Abuja, where stakeholders discussed ways to improve the implementation of early childhood education standards across Nigeria. The commission said available data showed that only about 35.6 per cent of Nigerian children between the ages of 36 and 59 months attend some form of early childhood education. The situation has renewed concerns about access to early learning, particularly because the early years of a child’s life are considered important for cognitive, social and educational development. UBEC also highlighted broader learning challenges affecting Nigerian children. The commission cited data indicating that about 70 per cent of Nigerian 10-year-olds cannot read and understand a simple text, pointing to persistent learning difficulties within the country’s basic education system. The commission stressed that improving early childhood education requires cooperation beyond the education sector. It called for greater involvement from government agencies responsible for health, nutrition, water and sanitation, social welfare and local government administration. UBEC has also asked states to include early childhood care and education interventions in their State Matching Grant Action Plans. The deadline for states to submit their ECCDE action plans has been extended to October 5, 2026. The commission warned that states that fail to submit their plans by the revised deadline may not have their proposals considered for funding during the intervention year. The latest figures have placed renewed attention on the number of Nigerian children who do not have access to structured early learning opportunities. Education stakeholders are expected to continue working on ways to expand access to early childhood education, strengthen teaching quality and improve learning outcomes across the country. For many Nigerian families, the challenge goes beyond getting children into school. Ensuring that children receive quality education from their earliest years remains a major issue that could influence their educational development in later years. UBEC’s latest warning therefore puts renewed focus on the need for stronger investment in Nigeria’s early childhood education system and greater collaboration among governments, schools, communities and parents.