The question is no longer whether we can afford to invest in girls’ education. It is whether Africa can afford not to

As we mark International Day of the Girl Child, 2026, I reflect on the theme for this year “End child marriage and invest in girls’ rights!” and how far we have come as a country and as a continent. Across communities in Nigeria, from bustling urban settlements to remote rural villages, there are millions of girls carrying responsibilities far beyond their years. Before many of them arrive at school, they have already swept homes, hawked goods, cared for younger siblings, fetched water, or supported family businesses. For some, school attendance itself is uncertain, interrupted by poverty, domestic expectations, insecurity, or harmful gender norms.