The Nigerian Senate has announced plans to convene an emergency National Summit in response to the alarming number of out-of-school children in the country, which now exceeds 20 million.

This decision was made during a session on Wednesday, where lawmakers expressed deep concern over what they termed a “time bomb” threatening the nation’s future.

The resolution followed an extensive debate on a report from the Senate Committee on Education (Basic and Secondary), chaired by Senator Lawal Usman (PDP, Kaduna Central). The committee emphasized the urgent need for all levels of government to tackle the growing crisis of out-of-school children, which accounts for approximately 10% of Nigeria’s estimated population of 200 million.

Senator Usman highlighted that the motion, introduced by Senator Oluranti Idiat Adebule (APC, Lagos West), stemmed from troubling findings by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

The report outlined the severe social implications of the out-of-school crisis, including hindrances to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, increased vulnerability to recruitment by criminal gangs, and disruptions to national economic equity.

The committee’s findings indicate that the issue of out-of-school children varies across states, exacerbated by ongoing insecurity, kidnapping, and banditry. There has been a lack of coordinated efforts among state governments to address the problem comprehensively.

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Senators from both sides of the aisle stressed the need for immediate action. Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin described the situation as “serious and worrisome,” warning that if left unaddressed, it could have catastrophic consequences, particularly for the northern regions of Nigeria. He stated, “It is a kind of time bomb, and once it explodes, it will consume us.”

In light of these discussions, the Senate resolved to support a national summit, as proposed by Senator Seriake Dickson (PDP, Bayelsa West), to bring together stakeholders from various sectors, including government officials, traditional leaders, parents, and civil society organizations, to formulate effective strategies to combat the crisis.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio emphasized the importance of the summit, urging collective action to prevent children from falling into lives of crime and violence. “We need to create a better future for our children by ensuring they are not out of school, which can lead to adulthood in banditry, Boko Haram insurgency, and other forms of criminality,” he asserted.