The Nigerian government has secured a $2.95 million grant from the Malala Fund to support organisations working to strengthen girls' rights and improve education financing. According to the Malala Fund's 2025-2026 Annual Report, the grant will be channelled to organisations working directly with girls and communities to remove barriers to education. This initiative aims to expand access to and completion of secondary education for girls in Nigeria. The grant was disclosed in the report, which highlighted the organisation's work with partners to influence policies and systems that keep girls out of school.
The Malala Fund awarded $9.8 million in grants globally during the year, contributing to six significant policy and implementation changes across Nigeria and Pakistan. The report noted that more than 122 million girls are currently out of school worldwide, citing barriers such as conflict, displacement, child marriage, early motherhood, poverty, and inadequate education infrastructure. In Nigeria, child marriage and early motherhood are major factors pushing girls out of school. The Malala Fund stressed that national policy commitments and global promises alone cannot overcome these barriers.
The Malala Fund emphasised the critical role of civil society organisations embedded in communities in translating commitments into funded and implemented action. These organisations build evidence, challenge social norms, convene coalitions, and hold governments accountable for delivering on education commitments. During the year, 66 per cent of funding under the organisation's Education Champion Network went to organisations led by young women. This investment in girls' education has major economic implications, with estimates suggesting that failure to enable girls to complete secondary education could cost the world between $15 trillion and $30 trillion in lost productivity and earnings.
The Malala Fund's report highlighted the organisation's five-year strategy, launched last year, which focuses on working with local advocates, civil society coalitions, and governments to influence policies, financing, and systems that determine whether girls complete their education. The organisation aims to deepen and accelerate this work to ensure every girl can learn and choose her future. The strategy also seeks to address the specific challenges faced by girls in different countries, including restrictions on girls' education, shortages of female teachers, and the cost of schooling.
In Nigeria, the grant will support organisations working to address the specific barriers to girls' education, including child marriage and early motherhood. The Malala Fund's investment in girls' education is expected to have a positive impact on economic growth, labour force participation, financial inclusion, and health outcomes across generations. The organisation's work in Nigeria is part of a broader effort to address the global challenge of girls' education.
The Malala Fund's Annual Report also noted that girls' education influences economic growth, labour force participation, financial inclusion, and health outcomes across generations. The organisation's investment in girls' education is expected to have a lasting impact on individuals, communities, and societies. By supporting organisations working to strengthen girls' rights and improve education financing, the Malala Fund aims to create a more equitable and prosperous future for girls in Nigeria and around the world.
The Nigerian government's efforts to secure funding for girls' education have been commended by the Malala Fund. The organisation's work in Nigeria is a significant step towards addressing the challenges faced by girls in the country. With the support of the grant, organisations working to promote girls' education in Nigeria will be able to expand their reach and impact, ultimately contributing to a more educated and empowered population.
Key points
- Nigeria secures $2.95m grant from Malala Fund to support girls' education
- The grant aims to strengthen girls' rights, improve education financing, and expand access to secondary education
- The Malala Fund's investment in girls' education is expected to have a positive impact on economic growth and health outcomes across generations
