Nigeria could generate over $400 billion in additional income by 2040 if it prioritises investment in adolescent girls, according to a new report by the World Bank Group.
The report estimates that achieving this would require about $37 billion in targeted investments, mainly in education, health, and economic inclusion, positioning girls as a critical lever for long-term growth and productivity.
It noted that while Nigeria shows relatively moderate levels of schooling, low early marriage rates, and fair economic participation among girls aged 15–19, deep regional, gender, and income disparities continue to limit outcomes, especially in the northern regions.
What the report says
The report read, “Estimates suggest that investing in adolescent girls in Nigeria between now and 2040 could generate more than $400 billion in additional income for a cost of around $37 billion.”
It highlighted stark geographic inequalities, with adolescent girls in the North West and North East facing significantly worse outcomes due to insecurity, poverty, and weak access to education and opportunities.
- Data in the report show that 45.7% of girls aged 15–19 are in school, below Africa’s average of 51.5%, while 30.6% are engaged in economic activities, higher than the continental average.
- However, these averages mask deeper vulnerabilities. In northern zones, as much as 55.1% of girls in the North West and 46.4% in the North East fall into vulnerable categories, including being out of school, unemployed, or already married with children.
The report also found that rural girls are far more disadvantaged, with only 32.4% enrolled in school compared to 59.2% in urban areas, and early marriage rates more than four times higher in rural communities.
Income inequality further compounds the challenge. Only 15.9% of girls from the poorest households are in school, compared to 62.2% among the wealthiest, while nearly 59.3% of poor girls are neither in school nor working.
Gender, education, and economic barriers persist
The report stressed that gender disparities continue to shape outcomes, with girls facing higher risks of early marriage and lower participation in economic activities compared to boys.
- About 19.2% of girls are married or have children, compared to just 0.6% of boys, a factor that significantly limits educational attainment and workforce participation.
- Digital exclusion also remains a concern. Only 12.3% of adolescent girls use the internet, compared to 18.1% of boys, while smartphone ownership among girls stands at 36.6%, far below the 51.1% recorded for boys.
The report further showed that girls are more than twice as likely as boys to be out of school and not working, highlighting structural barriers that limit their transition into productive economic roles.
Policy actions to unlock economic gains
To realise the projected $400 billion opportunity, the World Bank outlined key policy priorities centred on education, health, and economic empowerment.
- These include expanding access to secondary education, improving sexual and reproductive health services, and addressing restrictive gender norms that limit girls’ opportunities.
- The report also called for targeted interventions for vulnerable groups, especially in conflict-affected northern regions, alongside efforts to improve access to digital tools, financial services, and high-return economic opportunities.
- It noted that programmes such as the $1.2 billion AGILE initiative, which focuses on school construction, scholarships, and skills development, have made progress but require scaling to reach more marginalised girls.
Beyond education, strengthening legal frameworks, protecting girls from early marriage, and supporting young mothers with childcare and training were identified as critical to improving long-term outcomes.
What you should know
Nairametrics earlier announced that the World Bank pledged $1.2 billion for investment in girls’ education in 18 Nigerian states, aiming to improve secondary education and empower adolescent girls.
- The announcement was made during the relaunch of the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) program in Abuja.
The AGILE program targets 18 states: Borno, Ekiti, Kebbi, Kaduna, Plateau, Katsina, Kano, Adamawa, Kogi, Nasarawa, Niger, Bauchi, Jigawa, Yobe, Kwara, Gombe, Sokoto, and Zamfara.
The initiative aims to reach 15.2 million students, with 8.6 million of them being adolescent girls. The program also focuses on married and unmarried girls, as well as those with disabilities.
