THE BLOOD PRICE OF EDUCATION IN NIGERIA AND GLOBALLY

By Ohore Emmanuel Ufuoma

In the 1950s, Western Region made primary education free. It was a gift, not a transaction.

Children walked into classrooms without fear and without fees. Awolowo called it an investment in blood — the lifeblood of a nation’s future.

Chief Obafemi Awolowo once declared education “the blood of the Nigerian child.” Awolowo’s model was simple: free education = national blood = national strength. Today the equation has reversed: education = blood price. Blood is being spilled.

The numbers tell a story no government can ignore: Since the abduction of 276 girls from Chibok in April 2014, Nigeria has recorded over 20 major school kidnapping incidents. Many attacks in remote communities of Zamfara, Niger, Sokoto and Katsina go unreported. The real number is higher. Each number is a child who didn’t come home.

For years we said “it’s a Northern problem”. That lie ended on May 15, 2026.

On May 23, 2025 at Community High School and Yawota Baptist School in Oyo State, 39 students were abducted, including 7 teachers. Many of the victims are children of primary school age, which also shows that early years education is at threat, with some as young as three and four years old, heightening concerns about their well-being and safety.

Globally, classrooms are no longer sanctuaries. In Turkey, school shootings are rare, but April 2026 broke that silence. On April 14, a former student shot 16 people at a school in Siverek, Şanlıurfa. Less than a day later, a 14-year-old killed 10 and wounded 12 at Ayser Çalık Secondary School in Kahramanmaraş, making it Turkey’s deadliest school shooting. The U.S. faces a different scale: 18 school shootings with injuries or deaths in 2025 alone, claiming 7 lives. From Chibok to Kahramanmaraş to Fairfield, the equation is the same: education now demands a blood price.

Nigeria stands at a crossroads. We can keep trading speeches for security, or we can honor the debt owed to every child in a classroom. The Safe School Declaration must move from paper to practice, with real protection and real accountability for every naira spent. Schools are not political tools. They are sacred ground where futures are built. Awolowo gave us education without a price tag. We must not allow bandits to replace it with a blood tax. If we fail to act now, we risk raising a generation that inherits fear instead of knowledge, and empty classrooms instead of a nation with a future. The time for decisive action is now. Nigeria’s children deserve their classrooms back.

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Access Bank, Fifth Chukker and UNICEF Renew Commitment to Expanding Educational Opportunities for Nigeria’s Most Vulnerable Children

London, United Kingdom – July 6, 2026: The transformative power of collective action in expanding access to education took centre stage in London as Access Bank UK, Fifth Chukker, UNICEF and the Kaduna State Government reaffirmed their shared commitment to creating brighter futures for Nigeria’s most vulnerable children.

Hosted by Access Bank UK, Access UK Polo Day celebrated more than 15 years of impact driven by a shared vision to expand educational opportunities for underserved children. What began as a modest initiative has evolved into one of Africa’s most impactful education programmes, with the Access Bank Fifth Chukker School in Kaduna State and its associated interventions positively impacting more than 14,000 children across underserved communities in Northern Nigeria.

At the heart of this transformation is the Access Bank Fifth Chukker School, where investments in educational infrastructure, learning resources and student support have created lasting opportunities for thousands of children. Between 2018 and 2026 alone, the school recorded 2,538 graduates, with female pupils accounting for more than 54 per cent of the total, underscoring the programme’s contribution to advancing girls’ education and promoting inclusive access to learning.

More than 1,000 pupils benefit from the school’s internationally recognised foundational learning programme each year, contributing to improved literacy and numeracy outcomes and a reported 15 per cent increase in learning performance. Students continue to secure admission into leading secondary schools, while teachers receive ongoing professional development and digital learning support. Enhanced infrastructural facilities and expanded learning resources have further strengthened the overall learning environment, helping to sustain the programme’s long-term impact.

This year’s event reinforced a compelling message: Every pledge should lead to a classroom, every classroom should empower a child, and every child should have the opportunity to shape a brighter future.

Speaking at the event, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Access Bank Plc, Roosevelt Ogbonna, reflected on the remarkable growth of the initiative and the unwavering commitment of its supporters.

“What began as a dream to transform the lives of 100 children has grown into a movement that has positively impacted more than 14,000 young people. We want to return next year talking about 28,000 children. Education remains the greatest leveller, giving every child a genuine opportunity to realise their potential and contribute meaningfully to society.”

Ogbonna expressed appreciation to donors and partners whose support has sustained the initiative, noting that investment in education creates lasting intergenerational impact.

Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani described education as one of the most valuable investments any society can make. He praised the longstanding alliance between Access Bank, Fifth Chukker and UNICEF, noting that it has restored hope and opportunity to thousands of children from underserved communities.

Highlighting Kaduna State’s ongoing education reforms, the Governor revealed that approximately 300,000 out-of-school children had been returned to classrooms over the past year through partnerships with organisations including UNICEF and other development partners. He also announced plans to construct an additional 120 classrooms at the Fifth Chukker Access Bank UNICEF School, enabling even more children to access quality education.

“What we are doing here is about humanity. By giving children access to quality education, we are empowering them to dream, to lead and to build a better future for themselves and their communities.”

Governor Sani also paid tribute to the late Herbert Wigwe, acknowledging his vision, leadership and enduring commitment to improving educational outcomes for underserved populations.

For Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, Chairman of Access Holdings, the true success of the initiative is reflected in the lives being transformed.

“The most meaningful measure of success is not the number of buildings we construct, but the opportunities we create. Every child who receives an education, every young person who discovers their potential, and every community strengthened through learning represents the lasting impact of this partnership. Together, we are proving that when purpose meets collaboration, we can create opportunities that change lives for generations.”

Welcoming guests, Jamie Simmonds, Chief Executive Officer of The Access Bank UK, described the gathering as polo with purpose, a celebration not only of sport but of a shared mission to create opportunity through education. He highlighted the institution’s commitment to supporting initiatives that deliver sustainable social impact and broaden access to learning for underserved children.

The event concluded with a renewed commitment from all stakeholders to deepen investment in education as a catalyst for national development and social progress. The Access Bank Fifth Chukker School continues to demonstrate the impact of sustained collaboration among the private sector, government and development partners, delivering measurable outcomes for vulnerable children in Northern Nigeria.

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HumanManager Equips UNILAG Students with Practical Digital HR Skills Through NextGen HR Initiative

HumanManager, a leading HR and payroll technology company, has reaffirmed its commitment to developing Nigeria’s future workforce through the 2026 edition of its NextGen HR Initiative, a capacity development programme designed to equip future HR professionals with practical digital skills. Held on Wednesday, 17 June 2026, at the Faculty of Management Sciences, University of Lagos (UNILAG), the event exposed participants to hands-on training using HumanManager’s HR software, bridging the gap between classroom learning and workplace practice.
Now in its third consecutive year at the University of Lagos, the initiative was delivered under the theme, “HR in a Digital-First World: From HR Theory to Digital Practice.” Through practical simulations and live demonstrations, participants explored digital HR workflows, automation, employee data management, leave administration, attendance management, reporting, compliance and other technology-driven processes that are transforming how organisations manage their workforce.
Speaking during the programme, Jerry Adeyeri, Lead, Brands & Marketing at HumanManager Limited, said the initiative demonstrates the company’s commitment to building a future-ready workforce while giving back to society through meaningful corporate social responsibility.
“The world of work is changing rapidly, and today’s HR professionals need more than theoretical knowledge. They must understand the digital systems that power modern organisations. Through the HumanManager NextGen HR Initiative, we are bridging the gap between what students learn in the classroom and what they will encounter in the workplace by giving them practical exposure to HR technology. Ultimately, this is our way of investing in society, strengthening Nigeria’s talent pipeline and helping young professionals graduate with the skills employers increasingly expect,” He noted.
Throughout the interactive workshop, students explored how technology is transforming modern human resource management through live demonstrations of HumanManager’s HR platform. Commending the initiative, Dr Mariam Gbagumo-Sheriff, Senior Lecturer, Department of Employment Relations and Human Resource Management, University of Lagos, described HumanManager as a dependable industry partner whose sustained commitment has significantly enriched students’ learning experience.
“HumanManager has supported this practical training for several years, and it has been invaluable. Teaching Human Resource Information Systems without access to a live platform would be extremely difficult because students need practical experience, not just theory. What stands out is the consistency of the partnership. This year, HumanManager reached out to us before we even made contact, demonstrating a genuine commitment to preparing our students for the realities of the workplace. Our students consistently provide positive feedback after every session, and experiences like these make their transition into the workplace much easier,” She acknowledged.
Sharing his experience, Ayeni Damilare, a 300-Level student and Class Governor, said the programme transformed his understanding of modern HR practice, noting that: “The session completely changed my perception of HR. We experienced practical functions such as leave management, reporting and auditing on a live platform, showing us how technology simplifies HR operations. It gave us a clearer understanding of how HR works in the real world and the skills we will need, whether we build our own businesses or work within established organisations.”
Temitope Obidike, Products Lead at HumanManager, also shared insights into how artificial intelligence is reshaping HR technology. She noted that the company is “actively exploring AI capabilities across recruitment, employee database management and payroll processing through strategic partnerships and in-house innovation, ensuring it continues to evolve in line with global AI trends while delivering greater value to organisations and HR professionals.”
As organisations increasingly embrace automation, artificial intelligence and digital workforce management, initiatives such as this are helping ensure that tomorrow’s HR professionals graduate with both theoretical knowledge and practical workplace competence. Through sustained collaboration with academic institutions, HumanManager continues to contribute to a future-ready workforce while advancing the adoption of modern HR technology across Africa.
About HumanManager
HumanManager is a leading HR and payroll technology platform powering workforce operations across Africa. With over 30 years of experience, the platform helps organisations streamline employee data, manage payroll and compliance, and build operational confidence as they grow. HumanManager supports businesses of all sizes across multiple African countries, enabling efficient, compliant and people-centred workplaces.

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