Forum for Child Rights Promotion [FORCHI] demands 10% budget allocation for child rights protection

[Press Release] FORUM FOR CHILD RIGHTS PROMOTION (FORCHI) is calling on the Federal Government of Nigeria to urgently set aside at least ten percent of all budgetary releases to the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation and the Ministry of Women and Social Development specifically for the protection of children’s rights.

This dedicated fund should cover the distribution of relief materials, provision of food relief, and payment of educational costs for Nigeria’s most vulnerable children, especially those in orphanage homes and children who are out of school.

Given the recent announcement that over N330 billion has been disbursed as cash transfers to poor Nigerians, Mr. Wale Edun disclosed this on Monday in Abuja, noting that the intervention is part of President Bola Tinubu’s strategy to cushion the impact of subsidy removal and exchange rate reforms on the poorest Nigerians.

According to Mr. Wale Ebun, about 19.7 million poor and vulnerable households — representing more than 70 million individuals — are captured in the National Social Register.

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The cash transfers, funded from an $800 million World Bank facility, are being disbursed to 15 million households.

“So far, 8.5 million households have received at least one tranche of ₦25,000. Some have received two or three payments. The remaining 7 million households will be paid before the end of the year,” Edun said.

In Nigeria, around 70 million children face multiple deprivations due to insufficient and inefficient public spending. Over the past seven years, Nigeria’s allocation of federal funds to the health and education sectors as a percentage of the overall budget has dropped, dipping below the benchmarks set by the Abuja and Incheon declarations.

The health sector funding now falls below 15%, and the education sector receives less than the recommended 15-20% allocation.

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FORUM FOR CHILD RIGHTS PROMOTION (FORCHI) calls on the federal government to exhibit transparency and accountability in its recent claim of disbursing N330 billion to poor Nigerians through the National Social Safety-net Coordinating Office.

This transparent approach will restore public confidence and provide the integrity and credibility that the current relief distribution system desperately lacks.

While this initiative is commendable, we believe that a significant portion of these funds should be allocated to support vulnerable children in Nigeria, particularly those in orphanage homes and those who are out of school. Children are the future of our nation, and it is our responsibility to ensure that they are protected and provided with the necessary support to thrive.

We believe it is both necessary if 10% of these humongous cash are actually delivered to orphanages that are registered in all states of Nigeria and governed by accredited social welfare practitioners, then it would be easier for the federal government to publish the list of beneficiaries, thereby lending credibility and integrity to the system, which is currently lacking in the distribution of cash reliefs to poor families in Nigeria.

FORUM FOR CHILD RIGHTS PROMOTION (FORCHI) urges the federal government to ensure that the rights and needs of the Nigerian child are not sidelined.

The future of our nation rests on how well we protect, educate, and provide for our children today. The time to act is now.

Stacey Ukaobasi O,
Executive Director,

FORUM FOR CHILD RIGHTS PROMOTION (FORCHI).
September 24th , 2025.