By Mercy Sawok
The Malala Fund says it awarded 9.8 million dollars in grants during the past year, including 2.95 million dollars to organisations advancing girls’ education and rights across Nigeria, according to its annual report.
The Fund said this in its 2025/2026 annual report made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja, highlighting investments supporting girls’ education, advocacy and policy reforms nationwide.
According to the report, funding in Nigeria supported organisations working directly with girls and communities to strengthen rights, improve education financing, and help more girls access and complete schooling.
It said partners contributed to six major policy and implementation changes in Nigeria and Pakistan during the year under review, including three significant developments that directly strengthened girls’ education outcomes.
The report said the Bauchi State House of Assembly passed a menstrual hygiene bill providing free sanitary pads in schools to help reduce absenteeism and support girls’ participation in learning.
It added that Bauchi adopted its Gender in Education Policy 2026–2030, which includes guidelines enabling married and pregnant girls to return to formal education and continue their studies.
In Kano, the state government adopted a gender-responsive education budget framework developed with support from the Bridge Connect Africa Initiative (BCAI) to improve planning and resource allocation.
The framework is designed to better direct education resources to girls who are out of school or at risk of dropping out, particularly those in rural communities.
The Fund also reported that Kano became the first Nigerian state to adopt national school re-entry guidelines for married girls and adolescent mothers, with support from ACE Charity.
It said engagement with the Kano State Ministry of Education helped prioritise adolescent mothers within the state education sector plan, strengthening efforts to improve access to learning opportunities.
According to the report, about 100,000 dollars was allocated in the 2026 state budget to support school re-entry, including dedicated learning spaces for married and pregnant girls.
The Fund said the progress was significant because child marriage remained a major barrier to girls’ education, limiting opportunities for many girls to enrol, remain and succeed.
It reported that 34 per cent of Nigerian girls marry before the age of 18, with the rate rising to about 50 per cent in Nigeria’s Northeast and Northwest.
It said a coalition led by Education as a Vaccine (EVA), YouthHubAfrica (YHA), the Civil Society Action Coalition on Education for All (CSACEFA), and Onelife Initiative advocated reform.
The coalition is also urging states to implement the National Strategy to End Child Marriage, develop action plans with timelines and budgets, and adopt school re-entry guidelines.
Globally, the report said the Fund awarded 9.8 million dollars to 43 organisations across nine countries during the fiscal year that ended in March 2026.
The Fund said its 2025–2030 strategy focused on strengthening civil society advocacy, advancing policy and financing reforms, and supporting girls’ education during crises and emergencies globally.
Malala Fund was co-founded by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai and works with partners to advance girls’ access to 12 years of free, safe, quality education. (NAN)
