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Summary
14-year-old Joy Ogah became Nigeria’s vice president for a day at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. During her tenure, she highlighted how over 10 million children are out of school, with girls being the majority. She called for legislative policies and a budget to address the challenge.
Joy Ogah, a 14-year-old, was invited by Kashim Shettima, Nigeria’s Vice President, to assume the responsibilities of his office for one day to promote President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to girl-child education across Nigeria.
According to a statement from the Office of the Vice President dated Oct 21, 2025, the handover took place during a meeting held at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Oct 20, 2025, between a Delegation from PLAN International, led by Helen Mfonobong Idiong, Director of Programme, Quality, and Innovation.
The event was part of a broader campaign to draw attention to the plight of out-of-school children in Nigeria and to elevate the voices of young girls in leadership roles.
According to the vice president’s office, the symbolic takeover served to underscore the message that girls deserve equal access to education, safe learning environments, and dignity in their educational pursuits.
From the Vice President’s chair, Joy highlighted the alarming number of out-of-school children over 10.5 million, with girls accounting for more than 60 per cent.
She called for investment in education that is safe and inclusive for every child in Nigeria.
She highlighted specific needs: free sanitary products in schools, access to clean water and sanitation, and improved nutrition for learners.
“I may be the Vice President for a day, but the struggles I represent cannot end in a day. They must continue in our policies, our classrooms, our conversations, and our budgets,” Joy said.
