The association made the call in a statement issued yesterday to mark this year’s International Literacy Day, themed “Promoting Literacy in the Digital Era: Bridging the Gap.”

NAS Cap’n, Dr. Joseph Oteri, said the scale of Nigeria’s challenge is unprecedented. “Despite being Africa’s largest economy, Nigeria harbours the world’s highest number of out-of-school children. UNICEF puts the figure at 10.2 million children of primary school age, while UNESCO estimates it rises to 18.3 million when adolescents are included. In real terms, one in every five out-of-school children worldwide is Nigerian,” he stated.

Dr. Oteri noted that the crisis undermines Nigeria’s ability to meet global development benchmarks, particularly the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) relating to quality education, poverty reduction, gender equality, and reduced inequalities.

He identified insecurity, poverty, child labor, gender discrimination, and poor infrastructure as persistent barriers keeping millions of children out of school. “These challenges continue to push our children into risky environments where they are exposed to drugs, crime, exploitation, and even trafficking,” he said.

On the importance of inclusive learning, the NAS leader stressed, “Literacy in the 21st century must be holistic, inclusive, and digitally empowered. Nigeria cannot achieve meaningful development while millions of its children remain uneducated, digitally excluded, and socially disenfranchised.”

Dr. Oteri also raised concerns over the widening digital divide in Nigeria’s education system. According to him, while children in urban centres are beginning to benefit from technology-enabled learning, those in rural areas remain excluded due to the lack of affordable internet, digital devices, and ICT centers.

“This uneven access is widening inequality and could create a generation of digitally illiterate citizens in a world driven by knowledge and innovation,” he warned.