Civil Society groups urge FG to update data, boost education funding for Nigerian boys

Three civil society groups are pushing the Federal Government to commission fresh data on the Nigerian boy child, fold boys into child protection policies, and raise education funding ahead of the 2026 International Day of the Boy Child.

Boys Champions Foundation, ActionAid Nigeria, and Oxfam in Nigeria made the call in a joint statement for this year’s theme: _“Breaking the Silence: Boys and Mental Health: Investing in Boys for Stronger Families.”_

The groups say Nigeria is operating on outdated numbers. The last national study on violence, abuse, and neglect of children was the 2014 Violence Against Children Survey. Without an update, they argue, vulnerable boys in poverty, on the streets, dropping out of school, and in the Almajiri system remain “unseen and uncounted.”

“Noel Alumona, founder of Boys Champions Foundation, put it bluntly: “The Nigerian boy child is not failing; he is being failed.” He said boys need systems, not sympathy, and those systems only come when funded and prioritized.

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ActionAid Nigeria’s Country Director Dr. Andrew Mamedu warned that ignoring boys now creates unstable homes, fractured communities, and weak leadership later. “Preparing girls for leadership shouldn’t mean ignoring boys,” he said. Both are critical for stable families.

Oxfam Nigeria’s Country Director Tijani Hamza called the data gap “a profound crisis of inequality.” He urged the government to provide “actionable data, dedicated budgets, and deliberate policies” before more boys fall into poverty, violence, and crime.

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The coalition laid out three demands:
1. *New national survey* focused on violence against children and youth, with a spotlight on boys.
2. *Explicit inclusion of boys* in child protection, education, and social welfare policies.
3. *Raise education funding* from 7.3% of the budget to UNESCO’s 15-20% benchmark.

They say Nigeria’s rising out-of-school population and worsening social conditions need political action now, not symbolic gestures. The call leans on data from UNICEF and the Nigeria Violence Against Children and Youth Survey to back the urgency.