From Cyril Mbah, Abuja.
A civil society group known as the One Impact Social Development Network, (1ISDN), has called for greater investment in education, leadership development and empowerment of the girl-child.
Executive Director of 1ISDN, Enenede Idusuyi, made the call at the opening of EMPOWERHER Cohort 2, 2026, organised to commemorate the International Day of the Girl-Child with the theme “Know Her. Build Her. Empower Her.”
Idusuyi said the celebration should go beyond ceremonies to inspire practical action to ensure every girl is heard, protected, educated and given opportunities to succeed, noting many Nigerian girls still face challenges in accessing education, mentorship, life skills and personal safety.
She explained that knowing the girl-child involves listening to her aspirations and understanding her circumstances, while building her requires investment in education, confidence, leadership, digital and financial literacy.
Empowerment, she added, means creating supportive environments and protective systems that enable girls to make informed decisions and pursue ambitions.
Idusuyi stressed importance of families, schools, communities, institutions and women in mentoring girls, protecting their rights and expanding opportunities, saying investing in girls strengthens families and communities and contributes to human capital development.
She encouraged participants to embrace learning, ask questions, discover strengths and develop relationships that support growth, appreciating partners, facilitators and mentors and urging stakeholders to translate theme into sustained action.
Keynote speaker, Olabisi Fatima Akorode, said empowering the girl-child requires listening to her needs, investing in potential and creating opportunities to thrive.
Akorode highlighted education, digital literacy, vocational training, financial literacy, mentorship and child protection as critical tools, calling for targeted support for girls affected by poverty, disability, displacement, exploitation and insecurity.
She outlined three priorities: strengthening support for vulnerable girls, creating pathways to self-reliance through education and skills, and building sustainable partnerships among government, development partners, civil society and private sector.
Parents, traditional and religious leaders, organisers and development partners were urged to promote policies that protect girls, challenge harmful practices and support development, while organisers were encouraged to sustain initiative through structured mentorship, practical training and follow-up.
The speaker urged girls to take education seriously, acquire skills, seek trusted mentors and pursue ambitions with confidence, stressing their voices matter to Nigeria’s future, and challenged stakeholders to translate commitments into measurable action reflected in lives transformed.
