The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has estimated that Nigeria has lost approximately $10 billion over the past decade due to the ongoing conflict in the North-East.
UNICEF’s Country Representative, Wafaa Saeed, revealed this on Wednesday in Maiduguri during the official launch of a socio-economic reintegration programme for children affected by armed conflict in the region.
Speaking through UNICEF’s Child Protection Manager, Shah Mohammad Khan, Saeed noted that the prolonged insurgency has not only harmed the national economy but has also severely impacted household incomes and the earning potential of families and youth across the North-East.
“A 2024 UNICEF-commissioned study estimates that the economic cost of conflict in North-East Nigeria has reached a staggering $10 billion over the last ten years,” she stated.
“The conflict hasn’t just weakened the national economy—it has devastated the livelihoods of countless families and young people. Many children and adolescents, particularly girls, have been deprived of opportunities to learn skills or pursue their aspirations.”
She lamented the deep human toll of the conflict, including widespread violations of children’s rights such as abductions and sexual violence. Saeed added that the collapse of economic opportunities has had lasting consequences on human capital development in the region.
To address these challenges, UNICEF has launched a socio-economic reintegration programme designed to support conflict-affected children with vocational skills training and essential protection services.
“Currently, 1,033 children—567 boys and 466 girls—are undergoing vocational training in centres located in Maiduguri, Bama, Biu, Damboa, and Konduga,” she said.
The programme provides training in practical, market-relevant skills such as tailoring, information and communications technology (ICT), auto repair, shoemaking, and carpentry.
“These centres are more than just training grounds—they restore hope, dignity, and opportunity to adolescents and families affected by conflict,” Saeed noted. The initiative also includes life skills education, psychosocial support, and certification to boost employability.
UNICEF expects that over a thousand children will benefit from the programme annually, gaining skills that can lead to sustainable livelihoods and improved futures.
“Graduates of the programme will not only build better lives for themselves but also play a role in fostering peace, recovery, and resilience in their communities,” she said.
Borno State’s Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Abba Wakilbe, praised UNICEF and its partner agencies—including the UN Development Programme (UNDP), International Organization for Migration (IOM), and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)—for supporting the initiative.
“I want to especially thank UNICEF for standing by us in many of our most difficult moments,” Wakilbe said.
