UNICEF Deputy Executive Director, Ted Chaiban, issued the warning, in a statement, following a visit to Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali.

“After a 14-day visit to the Central Sahel, I have witnessed firsthand a region rich in possibilities, yet continuously affected by insecurity, climate shocks, and socio-economic crises,” he said.

Recent reports of violence in Mali “are another example of the stark reminder that such crises in the region create a fragile situation for children, including, sadly the loss of their lives,” he added.

Rebel groups in the West African country carried out a wave of coordinated attacks this past weekend, which the UN Secretary-General has condemned, while UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher tweeted that “responding to humanitarian needs, protecting civilians and ensuring access to basic services is paramount.”

Chaiban said that even though more than 3.6 people across Central Sahel had been displaced due to violence and forced migration, government officials, community leaders, and displaced persons themselves continued to demonstrate hope.

“In many rural areas, markets are reopening, while communities continue to support each other, just as children are playing, with families and young people yearning to regain their dignity and economic independence,” he said.

Chaiban met political leaders in the three countries who agreed that investing in people and strengthening social cohesion were essential for stability and development.

“Everywhere, a clear ambition is emerging: to make the next generation a priority at the heart of national policies.

“I was encouraged by the strong commitment of the three governments to advance and safeguard the rights of every child,” he said.

He noted that in Niger, government-led reforms had modernised civil registration in more than half of all municipalities.

“As a result, birth registration rates rose to 79 per cent last year, up from 62 per cent in 2023.”

Meanwhile in Burkina Faso, authorities have allocated roughly 25 per cent of the national budget to education and nearly 12 per cent to health, “illustrating a significant effort to scale up essential social services.”

Furthermore, national immunisation coverage in Mali reached 82 per cent in 2024, thus bringing the country closer to ensuring that every child receives life‑saving vaccines.

‘’These policies and commitments are not only good examples.

“More importantly, they take on their full meaning when we witness the positive transformation of the daily lives of children, allowing them to keep moving forward despite the hardships they face,” he said.

Yet, he underscored that “the cycle of violence is still dangerously evident, and the situation of children is particularly alarming.”

He recalled that the UN had documented more than 1,500 grave violations against children, including killing, abduction, and recruitment and use by armed groups, while more than 8,400 schools were rendered inaccessible in 2025 alone.

Chaiban explained that lack of access to education and essential services exposed young people to illness and psychosocial distress, while undermining their chances to experience full and healthy development.

‘’Everyone I met during my visit shared the same concern: providing better protection for children and families, restoring peace, enabling access to healthcare and education, and guaranteeing a safe return home,” he said.

The top official was also heartened by UNICEF teams on the ground who are committed to protecting children’s rights throughout the Sahel.

They also support governments, including in the areas of health, water, education and protection.

‘‘I have seen that our response is most effective when it reinforces resilience by strengthening local systems, empowering communities, and fostering inclusive governance, whilst always ensuring that children’s voices are heard and taken into account,” he said.

Chaiban urged the international community not to ignore the plight of children across the region.

“Faced with the resilience of children in the Sahel, the world must not turn a blind eye; there are still millions of children with urgent humanitarian needs that require immediate action,” he said.

“Their resilience does not mean that they are fine nor must it be used as an excuse for inaction,” he added.

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Speaking during a high-level panel session at the World Economic Forum Special Meeting on Global Collaboration, Growth and Energy for Development in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Sunday, President Tinubu said “collaboration and inclusiveness”, especially with regard to Africa, were elemental to building a future of hope, peace, and progress for all.

He said capital mobilization, which is needed to spur economic growth and associated advancements in Africa, could not be overlooked any longer.

The president posited that the continent was richly endowed but that the diversity of its resources must reflect in its wherewithal and economic realities.

“The capital formation that is necessary to drive the economy, agriculture, ensure food security, innovation, and technological advancement must be an inclusive programme of the entire world. No one should be left behind.

READ ALSO: One dies, two injured in gas tanker explosion in Abeokuta

“I am glad the world is recognizing the need for cooperation, and that with the type of population growth that Africa is experiencing; the diversity of its resources must be married with economic opportunity. We must collaborate to achieve that,” President Tinubu said.

The president called on global leaders to pay attention to the developments in the Sahel, emphasizing the need for a studied understanding of the vectors of the current situation, while suggesting collaboration in the pursuit of enduring solutions.

“We are encouraging the entire world to pay attention to the Sahel and the other countries around us. As the Chairman of ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, I have wielded the big influence of Nigeria to discourage all unconstitutional change of government. Equally, we have eased the sanctions. We need to trade with one another; not fight each other. It is very necessary and compulsory for us to engender growth, stability, and economic prosperity for our people in West Africa.

“The rest of the world needs to look at the fundamentals of the problem; not just geopolitically, but at the root. Has the world paid attention to the poverty level in the Sahel and the rest of ECOWAS? Have they facilitated the infusion of capital and paid adequate attention to ensuring the exploitation of resources and the creation of opportunities presented by the mineral resources available?

“Are we going to play a big-brother role in a talkshop without taking necessary action? We just have to be involved in the promotion and prosperity of that region in order to see peace, stability, and economic growth,” President Tinubu said.

Detailing the steps taken to set Nigeria’s economy on the path of expeditious recovery, the president said he had to take tough but essential decisions like removing fuel subsidy – with its attendant perils – and managing the nation’s currency, effectively removing corruption-laden arbitrage.

“Concerning the question of subsidy removal, there is no doubt that it was a necessary action for my country not to go bankrupt and to reset the economy and the pathway to growth. It was going to be difficult, but the hallmark of leadership is making difficult decisions when they need to be made.

“That was necessary for the country. Yes, there have been drawbacks. Yes, there was the expectation that the difficulty would be felt by a greater number of people. But, of course, it was the interest of our people that was the primary focus of the government. Along the line, there was an arrangement to cushion the effect of the subsidy removal on the vulnerable population of the country. We shared the pain across the board. We cannot, but include those who are very vulnerable.

“Luckily, we have a very vibrant youth population interested in innovation and highly ready to leverage technology, good education, and who remain committed to growth. We were able to manage that and partition the economic drawback and the fallout of the subsidy removal equally; engendering transparency, accountability, and fiscal discipline for the country. And that, to me, is most important, which is focusing on what direction we should head in. I will pursue that rigorously.

“The currency management was necessary, equally to remove the artificial element of value in our currency. Hence, our local currency finds its level and competes with the rest of the world’s currencies as we remove corrupt arbitrage and opaqueness. That, we did. At the same time, that is a two-engine problem in a very turbulent situation for the government. But we are able to manage that turbulence because we prepared for this with inclusivity in governance and rapid communication with the public,” the president concluded.

In her remarks, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, IMF, Kristalina Georgieva, commended President Tinubu for offering insights on how to execute strategic economic reforms.

“President Tinubu has emphasized the right things about what world leaders must consider primary in the execution of strategic economic reform. He said there is a need to ensure that reforms are accompanied by a human touch. The needs of people must be identified and catered to as governments implement tough but necessary reforms,” the IMF Managing Director said.

During the session, the president of Rwanda, Paul Kagame, who was also on the high-level panel, said: “I am happy that the Nigerian president spoke on the need for inclusive economic growth. Africa is the stage for an expanding middle class. As the growth of the middle class in developed economies stagnate, Africa’s middle class is growing. It is our human resources and not natural resources that make our continent strategic and central to the global community moving forward.”

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The president spoke on Thursday at State House, Abuja, while receiving in farewell audience the outgoing Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), Mohammed Ibn Chambas.

Buhari said Muammar Gadaffi held a grip on power in Libya for 42 years by recruiting armed guards from different countries, who then escaped with their arms when the Libyan strongman was killed.

“They didn’t learn any other skill than to shoot and kill. So, they are a problem all over the Sahel countries today,” the president said, adding:

“We closed our land borders here for more than a year, but arms and ammunition continued to flow illegally. As far as Libya remains unstable, so will the problem remain.

“We have to cope with the problems of development, as we can’t play hop, step and jump. But we will eventually overcome those problems.”

President Buhari described Chambas, who spent many years in Nigeria in different capacities, from ECOWAS to UN, as “more of a Nigerian than anything else.”

He wished him well in his future endeavours.

The outgoing Special Representative thanked the president “for personal support I received from you, and from Nigeria as a country,” adding that the country would continue to play a leadership role on the continent.

On terrorism and violent extremism in the Sahel and the Lake Chad Basin area, Chambas said Nigeria was playing a yeoman’s role, particularly in giving support to the Multinational Joint Task Force, MNJTF.

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He made the assertion on Sunday while reacting to the killing of 70 people in Zaroumdareye, a border town between Niger Republic and Mali by militants.

The president described the incident as another clarion call for united action by African leaders against terrorism.

Reacting to the incident on Sunday in Abuja, President Buhari said, “I am profoundly shocked by the large scale death of innocent people at the hands of these callous militants who have no regard for the sanctity of human life.”

According to the president, “We are facing grave security challenges on account of the evil campaign of indiscriminate violence by terrorists in the Sahel and only united action can help us defeat these vicious enemies of humanity.”

He stated that “terrorism has now become like a contagion of evil that can spread  anytime if united action is not taken.”

President Buhari said that “instability in one part of Africa had implications for the security of others.”

He recalled that “the destabilisation of Libya in 2011 is producing domino effects on the security of other African countries including Nigeria, Niger, Chad, Cameroon and others.”

“The looting of Libyan armouries in the aftermath of Gaddafi’s fall has put dangerous weapons into the hands of terrorists and other criminals who now pose security challenges to other countries,” the president added.

“We are united by common fate and therefore we must act in concert to defeat these evil men who target innocent people.

“Let me use this opportunity to express my deepest sympathy for the government, the people of Niger and the families of the victims,” said President Buhari.

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