Abuja, Nigeria – April 5, 2025
The Federal Government of Nigeria has revealed that it is considering the establishment of a dedicated Early Childhood Care and Development Education (ECCDE) Commission, but the move has been delayed primarily due to the cost implications.
Minister of State for Education, Dr. Suwaiba Said Ahmad, disclosed this during a courtesy visit by the Early Childhood Association of Nigeria (ECAN) to her office on Friday.
Dr. Ahmad underscored the significance of ECCDE in laying the foundation for quality and effective education. She expressed the government’s commitment to supporting both public and private stakeholders in providing early childhood education across the country.
While acknowledging the consistent calls for a specialized ECCDE Commission, the Minister noted that the country’s current economic realities and cost-cutting policies make such a step financially unfeasible for now.
“Establishing a new Commission would involve a significant financial outlay for infrastructure and staffing,” Ahmad said.
Despite the challenges, she reaffirmed the government’s dedication to strengthening the ECCDE system within the existing educational framework. According to her, funding for ECCDE is already integrated within the basic education budget, particularly through the two percent Consolidated Revenue Mobilization (CRM) allocated to the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC).
Although primary and junior secondary education enjoy more established oversight, the government aims to ensure ECCDE benefits from existing budgetary provisions and ongoing interventions in the education sector. Dr. Ahmad also disclosed that the Ministry is actively reviewing ECCDE management and will implement targeted programs to ensure it is not neglected.
In her remarks, she assured ECAN of the Ministry’s openness to collaboration and promised the Association would be included in future discussions and potentially involved in the implementation of related initiatives.
Earlier, Prof. Babajide Abidogun, ECAN’s National President, passionately advocated for the creation of a national ECCDE Commission. He emphasized the critical role early childhood (birth to age six) plays in lifelong learning and well-being, arguing that a dedicated commission is essential for equitable access to quality and inclusive early education across Nigeria.
Prof. Abidogun highlighted several issues plaguing the ECCDE space, including the lack of a national database for young children and their educators, poor inter-agency coordination, the absence of dedicated funding, and the ineffective implementation of existing policies.
He proposed a multi-pronged funding approach for the proposed Commission—encompassing government budget allocations, partnerships with international donors and NGOs, public-private collaborations, and community-level contributions.
Founded in 1990, ECAN has been at the forefront of promoting child welfare and development through advocacy, research, and capacity-building initiatives. With active chapters in 20 states, the Association envisions a Nigeria where every child is given the opportunity to thrive through access to quality early childhood education.
As Nigeria approaches the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals deadline, stakeholders continue to emphasize the urgent need to prioritize early childhood education as a cornerstone of national development.
