The Traffic

Two million children remain out of school, says UNICEF

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has reported that nearly 2 million children are out of school in Northeast Nigeria. However, a broader national statistic shows that approximately 10.2 million primary school-aged children in 2024. This number is particularly high in the Northwest region, with 16% of out-of-school children coming from Kano, Jigawa, and Katsina states .

By Rhalialt Arhuoizah 

*Breakdown of Out-of-School Children in Nigeria:*

- *Total Out-of-School Children*: 10.2 million (primary school-aged)
- *Northwest Region*: 16% of total out-of-school children
    - *Kano State*: 989,234 out-of-school children
    - *Jigawa State*: 337,861 out-of-school children
    - *Katsina State*: 536,112 out-of-school children
- *Northeast Region*: Nearly 2 million children out of school

UNICEF is calling for urgent action to address the barriers hindering children from accessing quality basic education in Nigeria .