The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) has reaffirmed the commitment of all 36 state governors to making Early Childhood Development (ECD) a strategic priority in Nigeria’s human capital development agenda.
The Forum said the commitment must now translate into concrete programmes, sustainable financing and stronger coordination at the state and local government levels.
The Director-General of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum Secretariat, Dr Abdulateef Shittu, represented by the Director, Media and Strategic Communications, Mallam Yunusa Tanko Abdullahi, stated this at the North-Central Zonal Consultative Workshop on Early Childhood Development.
Shittu described investment in the early years as a long-term investment in Nigeria’s health, education, productivity and economic future.
He said the period from pregnancy through the first five years of a child’s life represents a critical window during which the foundations for health, learning, cognitive development and future productivity are established.
According to him, Nigeria must increasingly treat ECD as a development and economic imperative rather than an intervention confined to a single sector.
“Investing in Early Childhood Development is therefore not only an investment in children; it is an investment in Nigeria’s human capital and long-term economic development,” he said.
The NGF Director-General stressed that while national policies and frameworks provide strategic direction, their effectiveness would ultimately depend on how successfully they are translated into action at the subnational level.
He said state and local governments therefore occupy a central position in delivering Nigeria’s ECD agenda.
NGF seeks multisectoral approach
Shittu also emphasised the need for a coordinated, multisectoral approach to ECD, noting that no single ministry, department or agency can provide the full range of interventions required for a child to thrive.
“Early Childhood Development is inherently multisectoral. No single MDA can deliver the range of interventions that a child requires to thrive,” he said.
He called for all relevant sectors to work towards shared outcomes for children, while urging states to use the consultative process to move from broad policy commitments to practical, state-specific implementation plans.
The workshop, he said, provides an opportunity for states to develop plans that reflect their peculiar needs, institutional realities and existing systems.
Plans must translate into action, financing
The NGF official cautioned that developing plans should not become an end in itself, stressing that implementation, financing, coordination and accountability would determine whether the plans deliver meaningful results.
“Our expectation is that this process goes beyond the development of plans,” he said.
He explained that the plans should provide clear pathways for implementation, coordination, financing and accountability, while being integrated into existing state planning and budgeting processes.
Shittu said the NGF Secretariat would continue to deploy its convening and peer-learning role to support states in strengthening their ECD systems and translating national priorities into sustainable subnational action.
He noted that the 36 governors had formally reaffirmed their commitment to ECD at the NGF meeting of June 17, 2026.
According to him, the governors recognised investment in ECD as fundamental to improving child health and nutrition, school readiness, learning outcomes, future productivity and overall human capital development.
NGF pledges continued support
The Forum said it would continue to champion ECD as an important development priority, facilitate shared learning among states and strengthen collaboration with relevant partners.
“We will continue to champion ECD as an important development priority, facilitate shared learning across states, and work with relevant partners to support the translation of national priorities into coordinated and sustainable action at the state level,” Shittu said.
He urged participants at the consultative workshop to develop plans that are ambitious but realistic and capable of producing measurable improvements in outcomes for young children.
“I encourage everyone to participate actively, share experiences and use this opportunity to develop plans that are both ambitious and realistic,” he said.
The statement was signed by Yunusa Tanko Abdullahi, Director, Media and Strategic Communications, Nigeria Governors’ Forum Secretariat, Abuja, on August 12, 2026.
