By Quazeem Halimot Bukola
Wife of the President, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, and the European Union (EU) have called for concerted efforts to end child marriage in Nigeria and across the world, urging governments, families and communities to prioritise girls’ education, healthcare and general well-being.
The First Lady made the call in her message to commemorate the 2026 International Day of the Girl Child, celebrated under the theme, “End Child Marriage and Invest in Girls’ Rights.”
Tinubu urged families, community leaders, policymakers and other stakeholders to protect girls’ rights and ensure they have access to education and opportunities to fulfil their potential without discrimination, violence or harmful traditional practices.
“I encourage families, communities, leaders, and policymakers to protect the rights of every girl, end child marriage, and invest in her education, health, and general well-being. When girls thrive, families prosper, communities grow stronger and nations advance,” she said.
She also celebrated the resilience, leadership, potential and contributions of girls worldwide, wishing them a happy International Day of the Girl Child.
Meanwhile, the Head of the EU Delegation to Nigeria and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Gautier Mignot, has expressed concern over the persistent challenges of educational exclusion and child marriage, disclosing that approximately 129 million girls remain out of school globally, while about 12 million are affected by early and forced marriage annually.
Mignot warned that, at the current pace of progress, it could take 300 years to eliminate child marriage, citing assessments by the United Nations (UN).
He spoke at the grand finale of the 2026 National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS)-EU inter-secondary school debate in Abuja, organised to mark the International Day of the Girl Child.
The debate featured four secondary schools and centred on the motion: “Empowering the Girl Child Is More Effective Than Punishing Offenders in Ending Child Marriage.”
Government Day Secondary School, Dutse, Abuja, emerged overall winner, scoring 89 per cent to claim the N1 million grand prize. The school, which argued in favour of punishing offenders, defeated Government Science Secondary School, Maitama; Baptist High School, Kubwa; and Ambassador Global Academy, Kwali.
Government Science Secondary School, Maitama, came second with 76 per cent and received N500,000, while Ambassador Global Academy, Kwali, placed third, winning N250,000. Baptist High School, Kubwa, finished fourth and received N100,000.
Mignot called for targeted investments and interventions to address the structural inequalities that expose girls to early marriage and deprive them of access to education.
He said the EU’s Gender Action Plan III was designed to promote gender equality through international partnerships, with at least 85 per cent of EU-funded projects expected to incorporate gender considerations.
According to him, the EU supports programmes addressing gender-based violence, adolescent reproductive health and girls’ education, noting that gender equality remains essential to sustainable societal development.
The envoy described the debate as an opportunity to promote advocacy, build confidence and develop leadership skills among young people, particularly girls. He encouraged them to pursue equal opportunities and actively contribute to society.
He also pledged that the winning team would visit the EU Delegation to learn about its operations and gain a better understanding of its development programmes and gender-equality initiatives.
In his remarks, the Director-General of NILDS, Prof. Abubakar Sulaiman, called on governments at all levels to increase investment in public education, noting that the students’ performances demonstrated the capacity of public schools to achieve outstanding academic results despite funding challenges.
“The impressive performances of these students show that public schools are capable of producing outstanding students despite challenges associated with inadequate investment in education. The children of the less privileged are gifted, and what we tend to assume is not always the reality,” he said.
Sulaiman noted that students from public schools had distinguished themselves in the institute’s quiz competitions over the past 11 years, expressing confidence that sustained investment in education would enable them to develop their talents and compete favourably with their peers elsewhere.
He urged government institutions, private organisations, development partners and the media to support initiatives that promote girls’ education and protect their rights.
The NILDS director-general specifically called on the media to highlight the achievements of female students and sustain public awareness campaigns against harmful practices that undermine their development.
He further disclosed that the institute had supported legislative and policy initiatives aimed at addressing female genital mutilation, gender-based violence and early marriage.
According to him, NILDS is collaborating with UN Women, civil society organisations, non-governmental organisations and development partners to strengthen the protection of girls’ rights and raise awareness of policies and legislation designed to improve their welfare.
The calls underscored the need for sustained collaboration among governments, development partners, communities and other stakeholders to eliminate child marriage, expand access to education and create an environment where every girl can realise her full potential.
