Abuja, May 27, 2025 – President Bola Tinubu has recommitted the federal government to the protection of children across the country.
The president announced this recommitment on Tuesday on the occasion of the International Children’s Day celebration.
He advised all stakeholders to embed child right protection into all their policies, plans and budgets.
“Let today mark a renewed movement to build a Nigeria where no child suffers in silence, no child is left behind, and every child grows in dignity, peace, and love.”
The President described children as the pride and future of our great nation.
“Our children are the most precious part of our national fabric, the heartbeat of our nation’s future, and the custodians of tomorrow’s promise, innovation, and leadership,” he said.
The president urged stakeholders to reflect on the need to foster a culture where every child will feel safe, respected and heard both in physical and digital spaces.
He particularly advised parents to shun aggressive tendencies toward children, adding that studies had shown that up to 65% of school-age children in Nigeria were affected by various forms of aggression
“Violence, bullying, and neglect have no place in the Nigeria of today.
“A child who learns in fear cannot learn well. A child who grows in fear cannot grow right,” he said.
The president said that although all the 36 states had domesticated the Child Rights Act, more should be done to translate legal frameworks into action.
“Laws alone will not be sufficient to protect our children. Parents, teachers, caregivers, faith leaders, lawmakers, and citizens must take ownership,” he said,
The president said the federal government was taking measures under the Renewed Hope Agenda to address some of the challenges limiting Nigerian children.
He said the measures included a National Plan of Action on Ending Violence Against Children (2024–2030), the review of the Child Rights Act (2003) and the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act (2015), and full enforcement of the Cybercrime Act to combat cyberbullying and online abuse.
