For decades, child welfare in Nigeria and across much of the world has been treated as a social cost: an act of compassion, not economic planning.

Budgets for children’s education, nutrition, healthcare, and protection are often seen as expenditures rather than investments in national development.

However, this narrative is shifting. Mounting evidence, both globally and locally, now shows that funding children’s welfare is not just a moral responsibility but a strategic move for sustainable economic growth.

State of Child Welfare Spending in Nigeria

In Nigeria, the stakes could not be higher. The country has one of the largest child populations in the world, with over 90 million children under the age of 18. Yet more than 100 children die every hour due to preventable causes, including malnutrition and lack of access to basic health services.

According to UNICEF, Nigeria has the second-highest burden of stunted children globally—about 12 million under age five are stunted, which impairs brain development and lowers future productivity.

Despite these alarming figures, Nigeria spends significantly less on early childhood development compared to older age groups. A UNICEF regional report found that governments in sub-Saharan Africa spend 16 times less on children aged 0–5 than they do on adolescents.

In Nigeria, just 7% of the national budget in 2023 was allocated to health, far below the 15% Abuja Declaration target, and much of it fails to reach the poorest children who need it most.

Investing in Children as Economic Strategy

What if this narrative flipped? What if Nigeria treated child welfare spending not as relief but as a catalyst for national development? Available data makes a compelling case: Investing in child nutrition, for instance, has one of the highest returns on investment.

The World Bank estimates that every dollar spent on reducing undernutrition yields $23 in economic returns through improved health, education, and productivity outcomes.

In a country like Nigeria, where 36.5% of children are stunted, such an investment could unlock billions in future economic gains. Investment in early childhood education can have profound economic effects.

James Heckman, a Nobel Laureate economist research opines, that investing in children before they reach age five returns $7 to $11 for every dollar spent, through increased earnings, better health, and reduced crime rates.

In Nigeria, where over 10 million children are out of school, prioritizing access to early education particularly in underserved regions could be transformative.

Programmes like cash transfers and child grants also show promise. The National Social Safety Nets Project (NASSP) has reached over 1.9 million poor and vulnerable households, helping families access food, education, and health services.

Expanding and integrating such programs into national child development strategies could reduce extreme poverty and stimulate local economies. Moreover, investing in affordable childcare and maternal support would allow more Nigerian women who are often primary caregivers to participate in the workforce.

In regions where pilot programs have provided community childcare support, maternal employment and household income have increased significantly.

However, as Celine Lafourcrée, Chief of UNICEF’s South West Nigeria Field Office, argues, “Poorly allocated or inadequately implemented budgets often have minimal impact. Without data-driven planning, strong coordination, and accountability, public spending fails to improve children’s lives in a meaningful way.”

This crucial insight highlights that beyond increasing funding, Nigeria must prioritize effective use of resources grounding child welfare spending in evidence-based policies and transparent implementation to truly unlock its transformative potential.

These aren’t isolated findings; they are part of a growing body of global and local evidence that links child-focused spending to economic growth. Countries that have embraced this model, from Canada to Bangladesh, have not only improved child outcomes but have also strengthened their national economies in measurable ways.

In Nigeria, the opportunity is clear. A young population, if well-nurtured and educated, could become a powerful engine of economic transformation. But if neglected, it could reinforce cycles of poverty, inequality, and insecurity. The question is no longer whether Nigeria is investing in its children, it is whether the current proportion and quality of that investment are enough to secure the nation’s future.

As UNICEF has emphasized in its advocacy across Nigeria: “Every naira spent on children today is a building block for Nigeria’s prosperity tomorrow.” It is time to align national budgets with the vision of funding the future by funding Nigeria’s children, strategically, sustainably, and smartly.