The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) says 143 ‘under-five’ children die yearly in Kano state due to poor child welfare.

Speaking during a media dialogue on child-sensitive planning and budgeting, organised by UNICEF in Kano, the Chief of Field Office, Rahama Rihood Mohamed Farah, urged stakeholders to urgently prioritise children’s needs in state development plans, warning that Kano’s future hinges on investments made in its youngest population.

“We are talking about a very important subject planning and budgeting with a child-sensitive approach,” Farah said.

“This is not just a dialogue, it’s a rallying call. Child-sensitive budgeting remains a non-negotiable investment for the state’s future.”

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Citing data from the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) 2021, Farah said childhood deprivations in the state indicates widespread poverty, malnutrition, low school attendance, and insufficient immunisation coverage.

“In Kano State, we have nearly 6.5 million children, and about 143 children under five years of age die every year before reaching their fifth birthday. That’s an under-five mortality rate of 143 per 1,000 live births,” he said.

He revealed that nearly 2.9 million children in Kano are not fully immunised, and 60 percent lack access to essential vaccines, leaving them exposed to life-threatening but preventable diseases.

Farah further stated that 4 million children in Kano are experiencing multidimensional poverty, while over 3 million live in monetary poverty. “Alarmingly, 35 percent of children of school age — about 2.3 million are not attending school,” he said.

“If we don’t have human capital that is trained, healthy and technically equipped, how do we expect to contribute meaningfully to future economic development?” he asked.

The malnutrition crisis in the state, according to Farah, is equally troubling. He disclosed that 4.7 million children aged 6–23 months do not receive the minimum acceptable diet, leading to over 3 million stunted children in the state.

“Chronic malnutrition is a serious long-term issue. Even when these children get to school, many of them cannot learn effectively due to poor early development,” he said.

He also confirmed that three new cases of circulating poliovirus had been recorded in Kano as of August 2025, a development he described as a setback to recent progress and “a serious call to action.”

While acknowledging efforts made by the Kano state government in addressing child welfare, Farah criticised the inconsistency and inadequacy in funding for the social sector between 2016 and 2020.

He said without transparent and accountable child-focused budgeting, progress would remain marginal.

“Investing in children’s health, nutrition, education, protection, and participation is not charity — it’s a strategic investment in the state’s future.”

He urged the State government to adopt key principles of child-sensitive budgeting, including clear prioritisation, equity, traceability of spending, and impact tracking.

“There must be an explicit prioritisation process for children in the budget. Their needs must be central — visible and well-resourced. Equity is essential. If you’re not budgeting for the most vulnerable, you’re missing the mark and increasing long-term costs for the state,” he said. (Daily Trust)