The Malala Fund has announced a $1.7 million investment in Nigeria to support girls’ education, targeting nine local organizations to reduce the country’s high number of out-of-school girls. This allocation is part of a broader $4.8 million package for 21 organizations across Brazil, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Tanzania, focusing on regions with the highest levels of girls missing out on formal education.

The selected organizations in Nigeria include the Aid for Rural Education Access Initiative, Anti-Sexual Violence Lead Support Initiative, Black Girls’ Dream Initiative, and seven others. These groups will work on improving gender-responsive budgeting, transparency, and citizen oversight, as well as supporting school re-entry for pregnant and married girls. They will also deploy digital tools to track education spending and detect infrastructure gaps.

The Malala Fund’s strategy directs resources to countries with the greatest need, with 66% of the grant supporting young women-led organizations. According to the organization, Nigeria and Pakistan are home to 15% of all out-of-school girls globally. The fund invests in local civil society organizations, building on years of partnership and impact on the ground.

Lena Alfi, Chief Executive Officer of the Malala Fund, emphasized the importance of investing in groups that understand the issues confronting girls at the community level. “With girls’ rights under pressure and resourcing slipping worldwide, the smartest investments we can make are in the young women and seasoned activists who know exactly how to defend them,” she said.

Co-founder Malala Yousafzai added that the Nigeria-focused funding aims to help married girls and young mothers return to school and complete secondary education. The Malala Fund’s Education Champion Network supports civil society organizations advocating for girls’ education and influencing policy change. The new partners will counter threats ranging from child marriage and conflict to systemic gender and racial discrimination, as well as shrinking education budgets in the five countries that are home to 31 million out-of-school girls.

This investment reinforces the Malala Fund’s commitment to supporting girls’ education globally, particularly in regions with high levels of inequality and discrimination. By partnering with local organizations and empowering young women-led groups, the fund aims to create a more equitable and inclusive education system, ultimately contributing to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal of ensuring quality education for all.