Nigeria: 36 Governors Reaffirm Commitment to Early Childhood Development

The Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF), in collaboration with the World Bank, Human Capital Development (HCD) and the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, has reaffirmed the commitment of all 36 state governors to making Early Childhood Development (ECD) a strategic priority in Nigeria’s human capital development agenda.

The Director-General of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum Secretariat, Dr. Abdulateef Shittu, represented by the Director, Media and Strategic Communications, Mallam Yunusa Tanko Abdullahi, stated this at the North-West Zonal Consultative Workshop on Early Childhood Development.

Shittu described investment in the early years as a long-term investment in Nigeria’s health, education, productivity and economic future.

In a statement, he said the period from pregnancy through the first five years of life represents a critical window for a child’s development, during which the foundations for health, learning, cognitive development and future productivity are established.

According to him, Nigeria must increasingly approach ECD as a development and economic imperative rather than as an intervention limited to a single sector.

“Investing in Early Childhood Development is therefore not only an investment in children; it is an investment in Nigeria’s human capital and long-term economic development,” he said.

The director-general stressed that the effectiveness of national ECD policies would ultimately depend on how effectively they are translated into concrete programmes at the state and local government levels.

“While national policies and frameworks provide important direction, their impact will ultimately depend on how effectively they are translated into action at the state and local government levels,” he said.

“These places us, the state actors, at the centre of Nigeria’s ECD agenda.”

He also stressed the need for a coordinated, multisectoral approach to early childhood development, noting that no single ministry, department or agency could deliver all the interventions required for children to thrive.

“Early Childhood Development is inherently multisectoral. No single MDA can deliver the range of interventions that a child requires to thrive,” he said.

“All sectors must work together towards shared outcomes for children.”

Shittu said the consultative workshop would provide states with an opportunity to develop practical and implementable plans aligned with their specific needs, realities and existing systems.

He, however, cautioned that developing plans should not be treated as an end in itself, stressing the importance of implementation, financing, coordination and accountability.

“Our expectation is that this process goes beyond the development of plans,” he said.

“The plans developed here should provide a clear pathway for implementation, coordination, financing and accountability and, importantly, should be integrated into existing state planning and budgeting processes.”

The director-general disclosed that all 36 governors had formally reaffirmed their commitment to ECD at the NGF meeting of June 17, 2026.

“At the last NGF meeting on the 17th of June 2026, all 36 state Governors formally reaffirmed that investments in Early Childhood Development are fundamental to improving health, nutrition, school readiness, learning outcomes, future productivity, and overall human capital development,” he said.

He added that the NGF Secretariat would continue to use its convening and peer-learning role to support states in strengthening their ECD systems and translating national priorities into sustainable subnational action.

“We will continue to champion ECD as an important development priority, facilitate shared learning across states, and work with relevant partners to support the translation of national priorities into coordinated and sustainable action at the state level,” he said.

Shittu urged participants to use the consultative workshop to develop ambitious but realistic plans capable of producing measurable improvements in outcomes for young children.

“I encourage everyone to participate actively, share experiences and use this opportunity to develop plans that are both ambitious and realistic,” he said.

By Leadership.