The Nigerian Governors’ Forum has reaffirmed all 36 state governors’ commitment to making Early Childhood Development a strategic priority in Nigeria’s human capital agenda. The forum said the success of national ECD policies will depend on how strongly states and local governments translate them into practical programmes.
State action focus
Speaking at the North-West Zonal Consultative Workshop on Early Childhood Development, the NGF Secretariat said investing in the first five years of life is critical to health, learning, cognitive development and future productivity. It said ECD should be treated not just as a social intervention, but as a development and economic imperative.
The Director-General of the NGF Secretariat, Dr. Abdulateef Shittu, was represented by the Director, Media and Strategic Communications, Mallam Yunusa Tanko Abdullahi. He said the complexity of ECD requires a coordinated, multisectoral response involving all relevant ministries, departments and agencies.
Plans, financing, accountability
Abdullahi said the consultative workshop should help states move from broad commitments to practical, state-specific plans that reflect their realities and existing systems. He cautioned that developing plans alone would not be enough, stressing the need for implementation, financing, coordination and accountability.
He said the plans should be integrated into state planning and budgeting processes to ensure sustainability. The NGF Secretariat, he added, will continue using its convening and peer-learning role to support states in strengthening their ECD systems.
Governors’ pledge
The NGF said all 36 governors formally reaffirmed their support for ECD at its meeting of June 17, 2026. According to the forum, the commitment is tied to improving health, nutrition, school readiness, learning outcomes, future productivity and overall human capital development.
The forum said it will continue to champion ECD as a development priority while working with partners to support coordinated action at the state level. It urged participants at the workshop to develop plans that are both ambitious and realistic.
