Nigeria Marks Children’s Day with Joy and a Call for Better Future

Today, May 27, 2025, children across Nigeria are being celebrated in colourful events to mark this year’s Children’s Day.

From Port Harcourt to Abuja, Lagos to Owerri, schools, churches, and families organised parades, cultural dances, talent shows, and funfairs to honour the nation’s young ones.

Children’s Day, officially recognised in Nigeria since 1964, is a day set aside every May 27 to celebrate children and raise awareness on issues affecting them.

Although it is not a public holiday for workers, it is a school holiday for pupils and students in primary and secondary schools.

Nigeria’s President, Bola Tinubu, in his speech today, described children as “the heartbeat of Nigeria’s future” and called on parents, teachers, and government officials to protect their dreams and secure their future.

He said, “Our children are the most precious part of our national fabric.”

But while the day is full of joy and activities, it also reminds the country of the many problems Nigerian children face.

UNICEF reports that over 11 million children in Nigeria are going through severe hunger and malnutrition, and about 18 million are not in school due to poverty, insecurity, and poor infrastructure.

In Edo State, Governor Monday Okpebholo urged parents to steer their children away from cultism and other social vices, promising his administration’s full support for quality education and safety.

The United Nations Children Emergency Fund (UNICEF) also used the day to call for more action to protect children’s rights, especially after the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

As Nigeria marks this special day, many voices are rising to remind the government and society that celebrating children goes beyond gifts and parties.

It means giving every child a safe home, good education, access to healthcare, and the freedom to dream and become great.

Today is a celebration, but it must also be a commitment. Every Nigerian child deserves a chance to shine.