The National Economic Council has established that investing in adolescent girls in Nigeria can deliver massive economic growth, poverty reduction and human development.
This was made known in a presentation by Hon. Nasir Isa Kwarra, Chairman, National Population Commission on Thursday, the meeting of the Council in Abuja.
The report went on to suggest ways by which adolescent girls in Nigeria can be empowered
The NEC was called to note that a “demographic dividend” can deliver massive economic growth, poverty reduction and human development. The demographic dividend arises when there is a favourable age structure with larger shares of workers and smaller shares of dependents.
The report stated that “The Demographic Transition is where the necessary conditions to capture a demographic dividend are created. This is characterized by declines in child mortality and fertility adding that The more rapid the fertility decline, the sooner and the larger is the demographic dividend.
It stated that it recognizes the importance of investing in adolescent girls to accelerate Nigeria’s demographic transition.
“Adolescents constitute population age 10 -19 years and by estimate, represent 23.4% of the total population of Nigeria.
”Meeting adolescent girls’ sexual and reproductive health and educational needs can fast-track Nigeria’s journey from being a pre-dividend to early dividend country.”
NEC also urged that addressing adolescent needs and empowering them can quicken the opening of the window of opportunity required to harness a demographic dividend.
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