The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has commenced a two-day, evidence-based state-level consultation aimed at shaping its 2028–2032 country programme for Nigeria.
The consultation, themed “From Evidence to Priority,” brings together stakeholders to validate data and identify key challenges affecting children in Kaduna, Niger, Nasarawa and Kwara states.
Speaking at the opening session on Wednesday in Kaduna, UNICEF Chief of Field Office, Kaduna, Dr Gerida Birukila, said the exercise marks the first step in designing the organisation’s next strategic country programme.
She said the new programme would be guided by evidence and stakeholder contributions to ensure interventions reflect the realities facing children across the four states.
Birukila noted that UNICEF’s Kaduna Field Office covers Kaduna, Niger, Nasarawa and Kwara states, with more than seven million children aged zero to 17 years.
She said children make up over 30 percent of the combined population of about 23 million people across the four states.
According to her, participants are not only contributing to discussions but are helping define priorities that will guide UNICEF’s interventions between 2028 and 2032.
She explained that the consultation process includes evidence validation and priority setting before the development of implementation strategies for the new programme cycle.
Birukila added that local knowledge, field experience and stakeholder input would complement national data and strengthen future programming decisions.
She identified malnutrition, newborn mortality and the prevalence of zero-dose children as critical areas requiring urgent attention.
She also listed out-of-school children, low birth registration rates, multidimensional poverty, and vulnerability to climate change and disasters among major development concerns.
According to her, insecurity, climate change and environmental disasters continue to disrupt learning and expose children to heightened risks.
She urged stakeholders to consider innovative solutions, including the use of technology and community-based approaches, to ensure continuity of education during emergencies.
Birukila warned that prolonged school closures reduce the likelihood of children returning to classrooms, particularly among vulnerable and displaced populations.
She said findings from the consultation would inform programme priorities, funding allocation, staffing decisions and future interventions.
Also speaking, the Commissioner of the Kaduna State Planning and Budget Commission, Mukhtar Ahmed, described the exercise as timely and important for strengthening development planning.
He commended UNICEF for its continued support in health, nutrition, education, child protection, water, sanitation and social policy programmes in the state.
Ahmed reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to evidence-based planning and strong partnerships aimed at improving outcomes for children.
He urged participants to contribute practical ideas to ensure that emerging priorities reflect community needs.
NAN reports that similar consultations are taking place simultaneously across UNICEF field offices in Nigeria.
Participants in Kaduna include representatives from education, health, information, women affairs ministries, civil society organisations and other government agencies within the UNICEF Kaduna Field Office structure.
Source: (NAN)
