The Malala Fund says it awarded $9.8 million in grants during the past year, including $2.95 million to organisations advancing girls’ education and rights across Nigeria, according to its annual report.
The Fund disclosed this in its 2025/2026 annual report, made available to reporters on Thursday in Abuja. The report highlights investments supporting girls’ education, advocacy and policy reforms nationwide.
According to the report, funding in Nigeria supported organisations working directly with girls and communities to strengthen rights, improve education financing, and help more girls access and complete schooling.
Partners contributed to six major policy and implementation changes in Nigeria and Pakistan during the year under review, including three significant developments that directly strengthened girls’ education outcomes.
The Bauchi State House of Assembly passed a menstrual hygiene bill providing free sanitary pads in schools to help reduce absenteeism and support girls’ participation in learning. Bauchi also adopted its Gender in Education Policy 2026–2030, which includes guidelines enabling married and pregnant girls to return to formal education and continue their studies.
In Kano, the state government adopted a gender-responsive education budget framework developed with support from the Bridge Connect Africa Initiative (BCAI) to improve planning and resource allocation. The framework is designed to better direct education resources to girls who are out of school or at risk of dropping out, particularly those in rural communities.
Kano also became the first Nigerian state to adopt national school re-entry guidelines for married girls and adolescent mothers, with support from ACE Charity. Engagement with the Kano State Ministry of Education helped prioritise adolescent mothers within the state education sector plan, strengthening efforts to improve access to learning opportunities.
About $100,000 was allocated in the 2026 state budget to support school re-entry, including dedicated learning spaces for married and pregnant girls.
The Fund described the progress as significant because child marriage remains a major barrier to girls’ education, limiting opportunities for many girls to enrol, remain and succeed. It reported that 34 per cent of Nigerian girls marry before the age of 18, with the rate rising to about 50 per cent in the Northeast and Northwest.
A coalition led by Education as a Vaccine (EVA), YouthHubAfrica (YHA), the Civil Society Action Coalition on Education for All (CSACEFA) and Onelife Initiative advocated reform. The coalition is also urging states to implement the National Strategy to End Child Marriage, develop action plans with timelines and budgets, and adopt school re-entry guidelines.
Globally, the Fund awarded $9.8 million to 43 organisations across nine countries during the fiscal year that ended in March 2026. Its 2025–2030 strategy focuses on strengthening civil society advocacy, advancing policy and financing reforms, and supporting girls’ education during crises and emergencies worldwide.
The Malala Fund was co-founded by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai and works with partners to advance girls’ access to 12 years of free, safe, quality education.
