Nigeria Launches Comprehensive Early Childhood Initiative

Nigeria is advancing an integrated early childhood development agenda known as "Ready by Five," which aims to ensure that every child receives coordinated support in health, nutrition, responsive caregiving, early learning, and protection during the critical first years of life. The initiative, represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima through the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, seeks to transition from fragmented interventions to a comprehensive approach.

Dr. Ado J.G. Muhammad, Federal Coordinator of Human Capital Development 2.0, presented the agenda at the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York.

The framework focuses on the first 2,000 days of a child's life, from conception to age five, and is structured around five pillars: good health, adequate nutrition, responsive caregiving, early learning, and safety and security. While 98% of Nigerian children under two are reached by at least one intervention, only 7.4% receive half of the services they are entitled to.

The program will utilize existing community platforms across 8,809 wards and aims to implement an integrated child-data system to track services. The Emir of Kano, HRH Sanusi Muhammad II, emphasized the need for collaboration with traditional institutions for effective grassroots implementation.