5.5 Million Nomadic Children Out of School in Nigeria

The National Commission for Nomadic Education has disclosed that approximately 5.5 million children from nomadic pastoralist, migrant fishing and migrant farming communities are out of school across Nigeria.

The commission’s Acting Executive Secretary, Umar Abdu, revealed the figure during an interview in Kano on the sidelines of an international conference on inclusive education.

Abdu explained that the affected children belong to three major groups covered by the Federal Government’s nomadic education programme.

He said the combined population of the communities was estimated at 45.9 million across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

Commission Identifies Barriers to Education

According to Abdu, the major challenges facing nomadic education include inadequate funding, teacher shortages, insecurity, geographical isolation and poor access to junior secondary schools.

He also identified high dropout rates among girls and disruptions caused by the seasonal movement of families engaged in pastoralism, fishing and farming.

The commission said it currently had at least 1.9 million learners enrolled nationwide.

However, Abdu noted that retaining teachers in nomadic schools remained a major challenge.

He explained that teachers trained for nomadic education were sometimes transferred to conventional schools, interrupting learning in underserved communities.

He also raised concerns about children being withdrawn from school to assist with farming, herding and other family activities.

Such practices can disrupt children’s education and make it difficult for them to progress to higher classes.

Hyperlink text: National Commission for Nomadic Education Official Portal

Commission Seeks Flexible Learning Solutions

To address these challenges, the commission has introduced alternative teaching arrangements, including mobile schools, community learning centres and radio-based education.

It is also establishing skills acquisition centres to provide young people with vocational training and additional livelihood opportunities.

Abdu disclosed that some states had established agencies dedicated to nomadic education, while Niger State had created a ministry responsible for nomadic education and pastoral affairs.

The commission is seeking stronger cooperation with state governments, education boards and development partners to improve enrolment and retention.

Abdu also clarified that the nomadic education programme was not exclusively designed for one ethnic group but covered pastoralists, migrant fisherfolk and migrant farming communities.

The figures highlight the difficulties Nigeria faces in extending basic education to children whose communities and livelihoods require flexible schooling arrangements.