By Idris Auwal
Northern Nigerian states, led by Kano and Sokoto, account for over 63% of senior secondary school dropouts nationwide, according to a 2023/2024 report by the National Senior Secondary Education Commission (NSSEC).
According to the NSSEC 2023/2024 data, 127,067 students dropped out of senior secondary schools nationwide. This figure represents 2.51% of learners across 20 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) surveyed.
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The data shows that states from Northern Nigeria cumulatively contribute 80,052 dropouts.
Key Breakdown showed that while male dropouts stand at 71,701, representing 56.43%, female dropouts followed with 55,366, equivalent to 43.57%.
The data reveals deepening educational inequities and systemic challenges in the region, aided by poverty, insecurity, and cultural barriers.
The report said Kano has recorded the second-highest dropout rate in Nigeria, with 30,863 students abandoning school. The report noted that 20,643 male and 10,220 female students dropped out.
Abia state came first with 36,700 dropout students.
The report revealed that Sokoto closely followed Kano with 11,339 dropouts, predominantly male (7,610), driven by economic pressures and cultural norms prioritizing informal apprenticeships over formal education.
Katsina and Taraba States reported 4,738 dropouts and 4,162, respectively
Kaduna State reportedly recorded 2,418 (1,037 males), amid persistent banditry disrupting education.
According to the data, States like Plateau, Nasarawa, and Bauchi reported over 1,000 dropouts each, while Yobe and Zamfara recorded hundreds.
Other states, such as Adamawa, Borno, Jigawa, and Kebbi states, reported zero dropouts, though experts caution this may reflect reporting gaps rather than progress.
Root Causes in the North
The NSSEC data aligns with World Bank warnings that poverty, insecurity, and gender disparities disproportionately affect Northern education. Over 35% of girls in the region marry by age 15, while boys often leave school for menial jobs.
“In the North, poverty and cultural biases collide,” said educationist Michael Sule. “Families withdraw children to work or marry, especially during transitions to junior secondary school.”
The Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE), a World Bank-backed program, targets 18 states, mostly Northern, to keep girls in school through scholarships and infrastructure upgrades. Yet implementation gaps persist.
Southern Nigeria: Abia Tops List
While the North faces acute crises, Abia State from the Southeast reported the highest nationwide dropout rate at 36,700, attributed to rural poverty and migration. Ebonyi followed with 13,048 dropouts, notably female-dominated (7,029), linked to teenage pregnancies.
Other southern states like Ondo, Osun, and Ekiti recorded lower but concerning numbers, while Lagos, Delta, and Akwa Ibom reported zero dropouts.
Calls for Regional Interventions
Hajiya Maryam Magaji, a school proprietress in Kano, urged collaboration with community leaders: “We need grants for private schools to subsidize fees and curb dropouts.”
The NSSEC report highlights urgent needs to expand AGILE programmes, enforce child protection laws, and address insecurity, especially in rural areas.
As Nigeria struggles with over 11 million out-of-school children, the dropout epidemic signals a generational threat. Without targeted action, states in the North risk entrenched cycles of poverty and instability.
The states’ figures reflect a crisis linked to extreme poverty, child labor, early marriages, and displacement due to insecurity.
Northern Nigeria ranks low in the human development index and has a larger percentage of the country’s multidimensional poor people.