Governors Commit to Advancing Early Childhood Development

The Nigerian Governors' Forum (NGF) reaffirmed its commitment to Early Childhood Development (ECD) during the North-West Zonal Consultative Workshop, organized in collaboration with the World Bank’s Human Capital Development Programme and the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning. Mallam Yunusa Tanko Abdullahi, representing Dr Abdulateef Shittu, the Director-General of the NGF Secretariat, emphasized that the period from pregnancy to the first five years of life is crucial for a child's health, learning, cognitive development, and future productivity.

Abdullahi stated that ECD should be treated as a development and economic imperative requiring coordinated action across sectors. He noted that national policies would only be effective when implemented at state and local government levels.

The NGF disclosed that all 36 governors formally reaffirmed their commitment to ECD during a meeting on June 17, 2026. Abdullahi urged workshop participants to create ambitious yet realistic plans to achieve measurable improvements in outcomes for young children.