FG Launches Nationwide Headcount of Out-of-School Children

The Federal Government of Nigeria has ordered a fresh nationwide headcount of out-of-school children to gather accurate data on the number of Nigerian children currently outside the formal education system. Dr. Tunji Alausa, the Minister of Education, disclosed this initiative on Wednesday during the 2026 Annual Education Summit held in Abuja.

The exercise will be conducted in partnership with the National Bureau of Statistics through a comprehensive household survey across the country. Alausa noted that existing figures used to measure the scale of the problem are outdated and no longer reflect the current situation on the ground.

The government aims to obtain reliable, verifiable data to support policy formulation and direct resources to address educational challenges. He acknowledged that estimates of out-of-school children in Nigeria vary widely, often ranging from 15 million to 20 million.

The government intends to move away from assumptions based on unreliable statistics to effectively tackle these challenges. Alausa also mentioned that over one million school children have returned to classrooms in the last two years due to various interventions, emphasizing the need for accurate data to measure progress and identify areas requiring urgent attention.