The world just celebrated another International Day of the Girl Child, on October 11. Across continents, campaigns showcased girls’ brilliance – as coders, innovators, climate activists, and leaders-in-waiting. In Nigeria, we joined the celebration too, with schools and organisations posting proud photos and promising hashtags. Yet behind the cheer lies an uncomfortable question: why are Nigerian girls celebrated as future leaders of the world, but rarely positioned to lead Nigeria itself?
Over the past decade, girls’ agency – their ability
