The Seyifara Foundation has raised serious concerns about the worsening conditions facing children in Nigeria. Founder Oluwaseyi Adediran and board member Adediran Adeniran have called on both federal and state governments, as well as other key stakeholders, to take immediate steps to improve the well-being of children across the country.
During a donation visit to He Careth Orphanage and Motherless Home in Ibadan, the two foundation leaders warned that continued neglect of children’s basic needs could threaten the future of Nigeria.
“Nigeria has one of the largest child populations in the world, with nearly 100 million children under 18,” they said. “But millions suffer from poverty, poor education, malnutrition, abuse, and displacement caused by conflict and economic hardship.”
Quoting data from UNICEF, the foundation highlighted that more than 10 million Nigerian children are out of school — the highest number globally. One in every three children also suffers from chronic malnutrition. Many lack access to healthcare, clean water, and legal protection.
The foundation described Nigeria’s education system as troubling. Although the Universal Basic Education (UBE) Act was passed in 2004, they said the law is not fully implemented due to weak funding, lack of qualified teachers, and outdated learning materials.
They also pointed to findings from the National Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS), which show high mortality rates among children under five and widespread cases of preventable diseases like malaria, diarrhoea, and pneumonia.
While commending Lagos and Oyo states for their efforts in fighting child abuse, the foundation called for broader nationwide action to protect children from exploitation and trafficking.
Adediran and Adeniran urged governments to make children a top priority in national development plans. They recommended allocating at least 15% of the annual budget to education, and 10–15% to health and social services.
“Nigeria’s future depends on its children,” they said. “But too many face hunger, lack of education, poor healthcare, and violence. Solving these problems is not only a moral duty — it is a national emergency.”
They identified several critical issues, including the over 10 million out-of-school children, especially in the North, as well as high child mortality, malnutrition, and poor health infrastructure.
They also stressed the need for stronger laws to fight child labour, trafficking, and abuse. They noted that most Nigerian children live in poverty, and many have been displaced by violence from insurgents, bandits, and communal clashes.
To address these challenges, the foundation urged all levels of government to fully enforce laws guaranteeing free and compulsory basic education. They called for investments in safe schools, more trained teachers, digital learning tools, and targeted support for early childhood and girl-child education, particularly in rural areas.
They also recommended expanding vaccination programs, improving nutrition and healthcare services, and launching large-scale school feeding initiatives.
Lastly, they called for stricter enforcement of child rights laws to stop early marriage, child labour, and trafficking. They also stressed the importance of birth registration to give every child a legal identity.
