Oluremi Tinubu
By Iyunade Grace
Oluremi Tinubu, the First Lady of Nigeria, used a high‑profile event marking the 2025 World Day for the Prevention of and Healing from Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse to urge the nation’s policymakers to ground child‑protection strategies in solid data rather than rhetoric. Speaking at the International Conference Centre in Abuja, she emphasized that while the country has a robust legal framework, the gap between law and implementation remains wide, and that gap can only be bridged when decisions are informed by real‑world evidence. Her remarks came as a reminder that protecting children is not a one‑off campaign but a continuous process that demands measurable outcomes.
The First Lady highlighted several ongoing initiatives that illustrate what an evidence‑driven approach can achieve. A national child‑protection database, launched last year, now aggregates cases from across the 36 states, offering policymakers a clearer picture of trends, hotspots, and the types of abuse most prevalent. Coupled with this, a child‑well‑being index provides a composite score that reflects access to health, education, and safe environments, allowing ministries to allocate resources where they are most needed. These tools, she said, turn abstract statistics into actionable insights that can shape legislation, budget allocations, and community interventions.
Oluremi Tinubu also referenced the Universal Child Grant, a cash‑transfer program aimed at reducing household poverty, which has shown early signs of lowering the risk of child exploitation by easing the financial pressures that sometimes drive families to harmful practices. She noted that the program’s impact is being rigorously monitored, with independent evaluators tracking changes in school attendance, nutrition levels, and reported abuse cases. By tying funding to performance metrics, the government can ensure that resources translate into tangible improvements for vulnerable children.
Beyond the federal level, the First Lady called on state governors, traditional leaders, and civil‑society groups to adopt a similar evidence‑based mindset. She urged them to invest in community‑level data collection, such as village‑based reporting systems that can flag early warning signs of abuse. When local authorities have access to timely information, they can intervene before a situation escalates, she explained, and they can also measure the effectiveness of awareness campaigns that aim to shift cultural attitudes toward child protection.
The event also featured a panel of experts who underscored the challenges that remain. Despite the progress, many cases still go unreported due to stigma, fear, or mistrust of authorities. Inadequate training for law‑enforcement officers and judges often results in delayed justice, while insufficient funding hampers the scale‑up of successful pilot programs. Oluremi Tinubu acknowledged these obstacles, stressing that evidence alone is not enough; political will and sustained financing are essential to turn data into policy and, ultimately, into safer communities for children.
In closing, the First Lady reiterated her commitment to champion a data‑centric approach across all sectors that touch children’s lives. She announced that her office will coordinate a national symposium later this year, bringing together statisticians, child‑rights advocates, and government officials to refine the metrics used to assess child welfare. By fostering collaboration and ensuring that every policy decision is backed by reliable evidence, she said, Nigeria can move from merely talking about protecting its youth to demonstrably improving their futures.
