NIGERIA

context

In Nigeria, 10.5 million children aged 5-14 are not in school, making up one in every five of the world’s out-of-school children. 

Ongoing violent conflict in Nigeria, particularly in the North East, has led to widespread insecurity. Throughout this decades-long conflict, armed groups have targeted educational institutions, forcing schools to close and families to flee their homes. Organised criminal groups, known locally as “bandits”, conduct large-scale raids on isolated communities to abduct men, women, and children for ransom.  

Over 3.3 million people in Nigeria are internally displaced, more than half of them children. Many find themselves in communities already struggling with limited resources, making it even harder to access education beyond primary school.

For girls, the barriers are even greater. Cultural and economic pressures often mean boys’ education is prioritised, while girls are expected to stay home, take care of siblings, or work as street vendors to help support their families. This not only keeps them out of school but also puts them at greater risk of exploitation and abuse. 

Poverty in Nigeria remains another significant barrier to education. Many families cannot afford school fees, uniforms, or learning materials, leading to high school dropout rates. Children from low-income households are often compelled to work to supplement family income, further hindering their educational opportunities. 

YOUR IMPACT IN NIGERIA

230,844

Children reached across our programmes, including direct enrolment, protection services and school improvements.

510

Classrooms across 64 schools supported through renovations or construction.

18,190

Adults reached through family business scheme grants, livelihoods and mental health support.

what we are doing

Since 2016, Street Child has been working in North East Nigeria to help children caught in crisis to ensure they are safe, in school and learning. Our approach goes beyond education alone. We provide targeted, holistic support to the most vulnerable children and families, creating protective community environments where they can rebuild their futures. In partnership with national organisations, Street Child delivers its programmes across Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe States, reaching communities most affected by conflict and displacement. 

Enhancing education

Street Child is enhancing access to quality and inclusive basic education, mental health and psychosocial support, and vocational opportunities for crisis-affected children. This has been implemented through a three-year long Education Cannot Wait Multi-Year Resilience Programme (MYRP), in collaboration with partner organisations. The MYRP provides access to early learning, primary and secondary education for children in Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe States. 

Educating children

The Education For Every Child Today (EFECT) programme is Street Child’s largest programme to date. This is a four-year project in partnership with Educate A Child (EAC), a global programme of the Education Above All (EAA) Foundation, supported by the Qatar Fund for Development, with the aim of increasing primary education access and retention for 40,500 vulnerable children across Sierra Leone. This will help the multi-country project's overall goal of getting 96,000 out-of-school children back in school full-time in Nigeria, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. To guarantee that programme effects are long-lasting, in addition to enrolment and learning, the initiative will also support teacher training and professional development as well as strengthening the livelihoods of parents and caregivers. 

SUPPORTING FAMILIES

Street Child’s holistic programming approach, which integrates education, protection, and livelihood opportunities, ensures that livelihoods and household incomes are strengthened and stabilised. Through our award-winning Family Business for Education scheme, we have worked to provide training for families to start or grow their businesses and have reached more than 1,280 households in Nigeria with family business grants. By ensuring that parents and caregivers are empowered to fund their own children's education, we can help reduce household poverty and protect children’s learning. 

EMPOWERMENT AND INCLUSIVITY

Street Child is working with several local partners to enhance inclusion and empowerment of people living with disabilities across North East Nigeria, reaching more than 11,000 people and ensuring their full participation in society. The project especially focuses on providing access to preventive and responsive services for women, girls, and children with disabilities who are at risk of abuse, discrimination, exploitation, neglect, and violence. We are also working to emphasise the importance of eradicating violence, abuse, and harmful traditional practices targeting persons with disabilities.  

SOCIAL REINTEGRATION

Street Child prioritises the social reintegration of children and women exiting armed groups or survivors of gender-based violence in Nigeria. Through restorative dialogue, positive traditional practice, educational activities, conflict prevention, and peacebuilding activities, we are working to support survivors through to transition back into their communities. Our projects deliver quality reintegration services, offering a comprehensive approach to gender-based violence prevention, recovery, and perpetrator accountability. We advocate for survivors with government agencies, community leaders, and peer organisations, while ensuring vulnerable children have access to education, mental health support, and vocational training to facilitate sustainable reintegration. 

NEWS & MEDIA

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per month could support a child’s education for a whole year.

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£10

could provide a learning kit, including basic stationary and textbooks, for a child living in the Boko Haram stronghold of North East Nigeria.

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could provide sports kit, like footballs and nets, for 100 children fleeing conflict in Mozambique.

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