{
  "id": 6220059,
  "title": "Literacy, insecurity and Nigeria’s children",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/08/literacy-insecurity-and-nigerias-children",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-08T00:49:32.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Daily Trust",
    "slug": "daily-trust",
    "url": "https://dailytrust.com/literacy-insecurity-and-nigerias-children/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "On International Literacy Day, September 8, 2026, the world focuses on the theme 'Literacy for people, the planet and prosperity'. Nigeria's adult literacy rate stands at 70.41 per cent, leaving 29.59 per cent of the population illiterate, defined as those aged 15 and above who cannot read and write simple statements. However, the North-West and North-East regions have the lowest literacy rates, despite receiving 80 per cent of education donor funding. Children's literacy rates are even lower, with only 26-27 per cent of Nigerian children aged 7-14 having foundational reading skills. A staggering 92 per cent of children cannot read simple texts by age 10. The government claims the out-of-school population is around 7-8 million, contrary to reports suggesting 15 million. Insecurity has significantly impacted education in the North-West and North-Central regions, with many schools closed due to banditry and kidnapping. While the government prepares to conduct a nationwide count of out-of-school children with the National Bureau of Statistics, it must also prioritize tackling insecurity to address illiteracy.",
  "summary": "Today, September 8, 2026, is International Literacy Day (ILD). This year’s event, which marks the 60th anniversary of ILD, is being celebrated under the theme, ‘Literacy for people, the planet and prosperity.’ The 2026 celebration offers an opportunity to reflect on global progress in literacy, with a view to advancing literacy for all and shaping […]",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}