President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to safeguarding the rights and well-being of Nigerian children, as the country marks the 2025 National Children’s Day under the theme “Stand Up, Speak Up: Building a Bullying-Free Generation.”
In a heartfelt address on Tuesday, President Tinubu described children as the pride and future of the nation, emphasising the government’s constitutional and moral duty to protect them from harm and ensure their voices are heard.
“Violence, bullying, and neglect have no place in the Nigeria of today,” he declared, citing alarming statistics that show up to 65% of school-age children in Nigeria have experienced some form of bullying. “A child who learns in fear cannot learn well. A child who grows in fear cannot grow right.”
The President highlighted the recently launched National Plan of Action on Ending Violence Against Children (2024–2030) as a key part of his Renewed Hope Agenda. The plan includes measures to prevent abuse, prosecute offenders, and support victims, backed by robust funding and multi-sector collaboration.
He also announced ongoing reviews of the Child Rights Act (2003) and the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act (2015) to expand legal protections for children, alongside enforcement of the Cybercrime Act to combat online abuse.
Tinubu commended all 36 states for domesticating the Child Rights Act but stressed that legislation alone is not enough. “Parents, teachers, caregivers, faith leaders, lawmakers, and citizens must all play their part,” he said.
Other initiatives mentioned include the scale-up of the Child Protection Information Management System (CPIMS), a new institutional framework for child development, and the introduction of a National Policy on Safety, Security, and Violence-Free Schools.
On health and nutrition, Tinubu cited efforts to expand mother and child hospitals nationwide, the Nutrition 774 programme, and the school feeding scheme as central to ensuring children’s well-being and cognitive growth.
“Through the Nutrition 774 project, we are reaching every community to ensure no child in Nigeria goes hungry,” he said.
To institutionalise progress, a Department of Nutrition has been established within the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, and a Universal Child Grant and Child Wellbeing Index are in development.
President Tinubu also launched a new nationwide child protection campaign — “See Something, Say Something, Do Something” — urging all Nigerians to act against any form of abuse.
To the children of Nigeria, he said: “You matter. Your dreams matter. Your voices matter. If you are bullied or harmed, speak up—you will be heard and protected.”
He called on all stakeholders to embed child rights into policy, planning, and budgeting, and praised states already taking bold steps to safeguard children’s welfare.
“Let today mark a renewed movement to build a Nigeria where no child suffers in silence, no child is left behind, and every child grows in dignity, peace, and love,” he concluded.
