SDGs’ Office Reiterates Commitment To Child Welfare, Development

The Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (OSSAP-SDGs) has reaffirmed its commitment to advancing the welfare, protection and development of children across Nigeria as the country commemorates the 2026 Children’s Day celebration.

In a statement issued yesterday by the special assistant on Media, Publicity and Strategic Communications, Desmond Utomwen, the senior special assistant to the President on SDGs, Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, described children as the bedrock of sustainable national development.

Orelope-Adefulire stressed that investing in the wellbeing of children remains essential to securing Nigeria’s future and achieving long-term national progress.

According to the statement, ensuring children’s access to quality education, healthcare, nutrition, protection and social support aligns directly with several Sustainable Development Goals, including Goals 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 10 and 16.

She noted that Nigeria’s development aspirations can only be achieved through deliberate efforts aimed at creating safe environments, expanding educational opportunities and improving healthcare services for children.

Orelope-Adefulire maintained that providing children with the right support systems would enable them to grow, thrive and contribute meaningfully to national development.

The presidential aide also highlighted ongoing interventions by OSSAP-SDGs targeted at improving the living conditions of vulnerable populations across the country

According to her, the office has continued to implement projects such as the construction and rehabilitation of classrooms, healthcare facilities, water supply schemes, skills acquisition centres and other social infrastructure initiatives nationwide.

She further called on governments at all levels, parents, teachers, development partners, private sector organisations and community leaders to strengthen collaboration towards child protection, moral upbringing, digital inclusion and youth empowerment.

Orelope-Adefulire emphasised that safeguarding and empowering children is not only a social obligation but also a critical pathway to achieving sustainable development, peace and national prosperity.

The statement added that OSSAP-SDGs remains steadfast in its commitment to building a society where every Nigerian child, regardless of social or economic background, is given equal opportunity to survive, learn, grow and realise their full potential.