Kano: The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Federal Government have inaugurated a two‑day Child Foresight Analysis workshop aimed at strengthening long‑term planning for children’s wellbeing up to 2050, positioning Nigeria to better anticipate and address future challenges facing its youngest citizens.
The workshop, under the Anticipatory Governance and Foresight Capacity (AGFC) programme and implemented by the Office for Strategic Preparedness and Resilience (OSPRE), brought together stakeholders. OSPRE coordinates engagement, while stakeholders from across sectors help develop strategic policies and programmes affecting children’s future.
Speaking at the event in Kano, UNICEF Nigeria Planning Specialist, Boco Abdul, said the organisation’s mandate was to safeguard the well-being of children and young people.
Abdul explained that UNICEF is providing technical support and foresight training to the Office of the Vice President. Through the AGFC programme and in collaboration with OSPRE, UNICEF supports government officials and partners in proactive planning for children’s future.
She explained that the initiative strengthens governance systems, structures, policies, and programmes that directly impact children.
She said the workshop was part of an ongoing collaboration between UNICEF and the Office of the Vice President through OSPRE, focusing on foresight analysis using horizon scanning to identify emerging trends likely to affect children.
Abdul identified critical planning areas, including demographics, unemployment, artificial intelligence, and climate change, and stated that the exercise involved developing future scenarios with stakeholders such as government officials, technology experts, policymakers, entertainers, and academics.
She added that the workshop outcomes would be validated and translated into actionable policy plans for implementation across ministries, departments, and agencies.
Abdul urged participants to think innovatively, analyse available data, and develop diverse future scenarios to improve policy formulation and planning.
Also speaking at the event, the Special Assistant to the President on Special Duties under the Office of the Vice-President, Muhammad Ahmed, noted that governance planning had become more complex due to existing and emerging challenges such as climate change and disruptive technologies. His remarks complemented earlier points on the necessity of foresight and collaboration to address future challenges for children.
Ahmed said developments in Artificial Intelligence offer both opportunities and risks, and that the AGFC programme strengthens institutional capacity to address emerging realities.
He disclosed that discussions between the government and UNICEF began in 2025 alongside a scoping exercise to develop evidence-based case studies.
He said UNICEF will use the workshop’s outcomes to support Nigeria’s development planning over the next four to five years.
Ahmed said the AGFC programme is built on stakeholder engagement, capacity development, and the institutionalisation of long-term governance through the establishment of a Community of Practice with designated champions.
“For government, we hope this provides proof of concept as we advocate long-term thinking in governance. Our collaboration with UNICEF shows what we can achieve,” he said.
He further explained that OSPRE was established through an executive order following a directive by the Economic Community of West African States to member states, describing the office as a key partner in strengthening anticipatory governance in Nigeria.
