Post by Henry Emeka (@Emekus)
Top 10 Nigerian states with highest out-of-school children
Despite Nigeria’s commitment to universal basic education, millions of children across the country remain out of school.
This challenge has persisted due to a combination of insecurity, poverty, poor infrastructure, cultural beliefs, and a lack of political will.
According to data from the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and UNICEF, Nigeria has one of the highest numbers of out-of-school children globally, with over 10 million affected, most of them residing in the northern part of the country.
In this listicle, we highlight the top 10 states in Nigeria with the highest number of out-of-school children, the factors contributing to the crisis, and what makes each case particularly concerning.
1. Borno State
Estimated Out-of-School Children: Over 1.2 million
Why It’s High: Borno has been the epicentre of the Boko Haram insurgency for over a decade.
Hundreds of schools have been destroyed or closed due to attacks and insecurity.
Thousands of children have been displaced, with many losing access to formal education.
Additional Factors: Poverty, child labour in IDP camps, early marriages for girls.
2. Kano State
Estimated Out-of-School Children: Over 1 million
Why It’s High: Kano’s population density and large number of children make the education burden heavy.
The Almajiri system, a form of Islamic education without a structured curriculum, also contributes significantly.
Additional Factors: Cultural resistance to Western education, especially for girls.
3. Katsina State
Estimated Out-of-School Children: Around 900,000
Why It’s High: Insecurity caused by banditry, kidnapping, and attacks on schools has forced many students to drop out.
In rural areas, formal education is often viewed as less important than herding or farming.
Additional Factors: Poor school infrastructure and inadequate teacher presence.
4. Zamfara State
Estimated Out-of-School Children: Over 850,000
Why It’s High: Widespread insecurity from armed bandits and frequent school closures make learning nearly impossible in some LGAs. Girls, in particular, are kept at home for fear of abduction.
Additional Factors: Gender-based educational disparities and poverty.
5. Sokoto State
Estimated Out-of-School Children: Over 800,000
Why It’s High: Cultural and religious factors often discourage the formal education of girls.
Many children are enrolled in unregulated Qur’anic schools instead of conventional classrooms.
Additional Factors: Poor education funding and lack of basic infrastructure.
6. Jigawa State
Estimated Out-of-School Children: About 700,000
Why It’s High: Many children in rural Jigawa work to support their families instead of going to school.
Flooding and seasonal farming cycles often interrupt academic calendars.
Additional Factors: Distance to schools and lack of transport.
7. Yobe State
Estimated Out-of-School Children: Over 650,000
Why It’s High: As one of the states hit hardest by Boko Haram, Yobe continues to struggle with access to quality education. Some LGAs have no functioning secondary schools.
Additional Factors: Illiteracy among parents and poor government intervention.
8. Bauchi State
Estimated Out-of-School Children: About 600,000
Why It’s High: Bauchi has a high birth rate and widespread poverty, resulting in too few schools for a growing population. Many children drop out early to hawk or farm.
Additional Factors: Cultural practices and lack of female teachers.
9. Niger State
Estimated Out-of-School Children: Over 500,000
Why It’s High: Insecurity from bandit attacks, poor school infrastructure, and long walking distances to school discourage many families from enrolling their children.
Additional Factors: Early marriage and minimal government investment in rural education.
10. Kebbi State
Estimated Out-of-School Children: Over 450,000
Why It’s High: Kebbi’s vast rural landscape means many villages have no nearby schools.
Children from nomadic or agrarian backgrounds often don’t attend school at all.
Additional Factors: Low parental education and weak school enrollment campaigns.
Conclusion
Nigeria’s out-of-school children crisis is not just a statistic; it’s a ticking time bomb.
If left unaddressed, the lack of access to education will continue to fuel cycles of poverty, insecurity, and underdevelopment.
While the Federal Government has introduced initiatives such as the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme and Better Education Service Delivery for All (BESDA), a lot more needs to be done, especially at the state level.
There is an urgent need for:
Increased education funding.
Community-based awareness campaigns.
Security for schools, especially in the North.
Girls’ education advocacy.
Modernisation of Almajiri schools into hybrid systems.
If Nigeria is serious about breaking the chains of illiteracy, the time to act is now.
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