WREP Statement on Universal Access to Education in Nigeria

The Women's Right to Education Programme (WREP) reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the principle that education is a fundamental human right — one that must be guaranteed to every woman and girl in Nigeria, regardless of geography, ethnicity, religion, or socioeconomic status.

Nigeria currently faces a significant education crisis. Millions of children — disproportionately girls — remain out of school, particularly in the Northeast and Northwest regions where conflict, displacement, and poverty have devastated communities and institutions. WREP calls on the Federal Government, state governments, and all relevant stakeholders to treat this as the national emergency it is.

Our Demands

• Immediate and sustained budgetary allocation of at least 26% of the national budget to education, in line with UNESCO recommendations.
• Targeted intervention programmes for out-of-school girls in conflict-affected states.
• Elimination of school fees and associated costs that prevent poor families from enrolling children — particularly girls — in school.
• Investment in safe, inclusive, and gender-responsive school infrastructure.
• Strengthening of School Based Management Committees (SBMCs) to deepen community ownership of education.
• Enforcing child protection laws that criminalise early marriage, which remains a leading driver of school dropout among girls.

WREP's Commitment

WREP will continue to implement programmes that directly increase access to quality education for girls and women — from classroom rehabilitation and teacher training to scholarship support and community advocacy. We call on all partners, donors, and civil society organisations to join us in holding governments accountable to their education commitments.

Education is not a privilege — it is a right. And WREP will not rest until every Nigerian girl can exercise that right fully and freely.