Nigeria has lost a staggering $10billion to the decade-long conflict in the North-East, the United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, has revealed.
UNICEF Country Representative, Wafaa Saeed, made revelation in Maiduguri on Wednesday during the formal launch of a socio-economic reintegration programme for children affected by armed conflict.
Speaking through the organisation’s Child Protection Manager, Shah Mohammad Khan, Ms. Saeed further disclosed that the prolonged insurgency had not only shrunk the national economy but has also devastated personal incomes and plummeting the earning capacity of families and youths in the region.
“According to a 2024 study commissioned by UNICEF,” she said, “the economic cost of conflict in North-East Nigeria has cost the country a staggering $10bn over the last 10 years.
“Conflict has not only weakened the national economy, it has crippled the income and earning potential of families and young people. For too long, many children and adolescents in the region—especially girls—have been denied the opportunity to learn a skill or pursue their dreams.”
Saeed maintained that the insurgency in the North East had been characterised by grave violations against children, including abductions and sexual violence. And the attendant gargantuan loss of opportunities and livelihood potentials have diminished human capital development, a situation that portends dire consequences for the country.
Saeed however disclosed that the newly launched socio-economic reintegration programme will provide solid support for children affected by conflict through vocational skills training and essential child protection services.
“Currently, 1,033 children—567 boys and 466 girls—are benefitting from vocational skills training in institutions across Maiduguri, Bama, Biu, Damboa, and Konduga,” UNICEF Country Representative said in the address.
Saeed, according to the Punch newspaper, explained that the children are being equipped with practical, market-driven skills such as tailoring, ICT, automobile repair, shoemaking, and carpentry.
“These vocational training centres restore not just learning, but also hope, dignity, and opportunity for conflict-affected adolescents and their families,” she further stated, adding that the programme also includes life skills, psychosocial support, and formal certification.
According to her, more than 1000 children are expected to benefit from the initiative each year, gaining practical skills that will open doors to employment and sustainable livelihoods.
“Graduates will not only build brighter futures for themselves but also contribute to peace, recovery, and resilience in their communities,” she added.
Speaking at the event, the Borno State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Abba Wakilbe, commended UNICEF and its partner agencies—UNDP, IOM, and UNODC—for jointly supporting the initiative.
“Let me particularly thank UNICEF for coming to our aid in many of our difficult situations,” Wakilbe said.
