THE United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has revealed that Nigeria lost an estimated $10 billion over the past decade due to the prolonged conflict in the North-East region.
UNICEF Country Representative, Wafaa Saeed, disclosed this in Maiduguri yesterday during the launch of a socio-economic reintegration programme for children affected by armed conflict.
Represented by Shah Mohammad Khan, UNICEF’s Child Protection Manager, Saeed noted that the insurgency had crippled not only the national economy but also personal incomes and the earning power of families and young people in the region.
“According to a 2024 study commissioned by UNICEF, the economic cost of conflict in North-East Nigeria has cost the country a staggering $10 billion over the last 10 years,” Saeed said.
“The conflict has weakened the national economy, shattered livelihoods, and denied thousands of children—especially girls—the opportunity to learn, work, or dream.”
She lamented that the years of unrest have been marked by grave violations against children, including abductions and sexual violence, while the loss of livelihood opportunities continues to hinder human capital development.
The newly launched programme aims to reintegrate children affected by conflict by equipping them with vocational skills and essential protection services.
So far, 1,033 children (567 boys and 466 girls) across Maiduguri, Bama, Biu, Damboa, and Konduga are benefitting from training in tailoring, ICT, automobile repair, shoemaking, and carpentry.
“These vocational centres restore not just learning, but hope, dignity, and opportunity for conflict-affected adolescents and their families,” Saeed added, noting that the programme also includes life skills, psychosocial support, and formal certification.
Over a thousand children are expected to benefit from the initiative annually, gaining practical skills that will enhance employment prospects and contribute to sustainable peace and recovery in their communities.
The Borno State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Abba Wakilbe, commended UNICEF and its partner agencies—UNDP, IOM, and UNODC—for supporting the initiative.
“Let me particularly thank UNICEF for coming to our aid in many of our difficult situations,” Wakilbe said.
The conflict in Nigeria’s North-East, driven primarily by the Boko Haram insurgency, has lasted over a decade, displacing millions and creating one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises