By Obiabin Onukwugha
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), has expressed grave concern over the growing impact of climate change such as disease outbreaks from flooding, calling for urgent action.
The global agency says this number of Nigerian children are at high risk of preventable diseases, especially as they lack access to any form of vaccination.
UNICEF stated that an estimated 8 million babies are born annually in Nigeria, one of the highest birth rates globally, and many of these children face overwhelming challenges from the moment they are born.
This is contained in the latest report of UNICEF in Nigeria tagged: “The Nigerian Child, UNICEF 2024 Annual Report, and the Nigerian Media”.
The report revealed that 40 percent of Nigerian children under five are stunted, a condition that permanently affects brain development and learning capacity among children.
Presenting the report at the Radisson Blu Anchorage in Victoria Island, Lagos on Wednesday, UNICEF Representative in Nigeria, Cristian Munduate, expressed deep concern over the dire living conditions of millions of Nigerian children, warning that stunting, poor health, early marriage, and lack of education continue to endanger the country’s future.
“It is not just about having babies. It is about assuming responsibility for each one of them, as parents, communities, governments, civil society, the private sector and even the media.
“Stunting before the age of five is irreversible. It limits a child’s intellectual potential for life. Despite some progress, over 1.3 million Nigerian children still lack access to any form of vaccination, putting them at high risk of preventable diseases. Zero-dose children continue to die in large numbers because they have not been reached,” she said.
The UNICEF official also revealed that while 59 million children were reached through immunisation campaigns, the need remains immense, especially in remote and conflict-affected areas.
“UNICEF’s efforts have also led to the registration of 10 million children with birth certificates in the past year. This is a key step towards accessing social protection.
However, 40 million Nigerians still practise open defecation, posing serious public health risks. Only Jigawa State has been officially declared open defecation-free, with Kaduna, Zamfara and Katsina close to achieving the same status
“If a mother completes primary or secondary school, her children are far more likely to be educated. So, investing in girls’ education is critical,” she stated.
Munduate also said UNICEF reached 2.6 million out-of-school children in 2024. “However, a staggering 18 million children, including 10 million in primary school and 8 million in secondary school, remain out of school. The agency continues to advocate increased government investment in education infrastructure and teacher training,” she pointed out.
On malnutrition, the UNICEF rep mentioned that nearly one million children suffering from severe acute malnutrition were treated with therapeutic food, some of which were co-funded by state governments, but noted that the crisis is worsening due to rising food insecurity and reduced donor support.
According to her, many of the children already have compromised intellectual capacity and without treatment, they will not survive.
She also pointed out that UNICEF has provided safe drinking water to two million people and sanitation services to over 4.6 million, but said these as temporary fixes, calling for more sustainable, community-led solutions.
She further stated that in conflict-affected regions, the agency worked with the Borno, Yobe and Adamawa governments to rescue and reintegrate 3,000 children abducted by non-state actors. It also supported 1.5 million children affected by violence, including sexual abuse.
“Nigeria ranks among the most climate-risk vulnerable countries in the world but resilience must not mean enduring misery. It must mean being equipped to live a dignified life,” Munduate stated, and appealed to all sectors including the government, media, private sector, religious and traditional leaders to support systemic change.
Chairman of the event and former Managing Director of The Guardian, Mr. Emeka Izeze, in his speech, called on Nigerian editors and journalists to shift focus from political reportage to stories that reflect the lived realities of vulnerable groups, especially women and children.
Izeze emphasised the need for deeper editorial commitment to human-interest journalism, noting that the media often overlooks the plight of those most affected by conflict and hardship.
