# International Day of the Girl Child

> Human Capital Africa founder calls for education to end child marriage in Africa.
- Title: International Day of the Girl Child · Premium Times Nigeria
- Summary: Human Capital Africa founder calls for education to end child marriage in Africa. Africa must prioritize girls' education to reduce child marriage by 2030…
- Keywords: child marriage, sub saharan africa, reading poverty, human capital africa, columbia university, au education decade, nigeria, news, politics, International, Day, Girl
- Source: Premium Times Nigeria — https://premiumtimesng.com/opinion/916217-international-day-of-the-girl-child-obiageli-oby-ezekwesili.html
- Author: Obiageli “Oby” Ezekwesili
- Published: 2026-10-11T20:03:51+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: child marriage, sub saharan africa, reading poverty, human capital africa, columbia university, au education decade, nigeria, news, politics
## International Day of the Girl Child
89 per cent of children in sub saharan africa cannot read by age ten.
## Child Marriage Crisis
1 in 5 girls worldwide married before 18, 650 million women and girls affected.
## Nigeria's Emergency
23.6 million women and girls married before 18, 78 per cent in jigawa first married before 18.
## Economic Impact
Child marriage costs up to $175 billion yearly, $2.5 trillion by 2040.
## Progress Possible
68 million child marriages averted in 25 years through education and legal reform.
## Education Saves Lives
Each year of secondary education lowers marriage risk by five percentage points.
## Niger Case Study
Niger government removed middle school costs for rural girls, reducing marriage risk by 19 percentage points.
## The Solution
Every girl must read by age ten using proven teaching methods.
## Policy Actions
Guarantee secondary school access, enforce 18 as minimum marriage age, fund domestically.
## African Leadership
Africa must lead in cutting child marriage from one in five to one in seven within five years.
## The Call to Action
Human capital africa urges african governments to prioritize girls' education for child marriage reduction.
## The Future
Any girl-child should be a student, not a bride, learning before leading.
## Key takeaway

Africa must prioritize girls' education to reduce child marriage by 2030, with 89% of sub-Saharan African children unable to read by age ten.