LITERACY should grow with the individual. A child’s literacy journey does not begin when the child enters school, nor does it end when formal education is completed. From the earliest years of childhood, through schooling and into adulthood, literacy develops alongside the individual’s capacity to learn, communicate, participate and make informed choices. This is why literacy is much more than the ability to read and write. The ability to read and write is fundamental to becoming literate. But literacy acquires its real meaning when people can apply reading and writing to learn, communicate and function effectively in different dimensions of life – in the home, in school, in the workplace, in community life, and in participatory development and governance. As the world marks International Literacy Day 2026 under the theme ‘Literacy for People, the Planet and Prosperity’, Nigeria has an opportunity to reflect not only on how many people can read and write, but on what literacy enables people to do with their lives.
For the Literacy Promotion Association, Nigeria (LiPAN), literacy has never been merely a school subject. It is a foundation for life. A child begins developing literacy long before formal schooling. Listening to stories, talking with parents and caregivers, looking at pictures, handling books and discovering that marks and symbols carry meaning are all part of the early journey towards literacy. Strong literacy foundations in these formative years can profoundly influence later learning. But literacy does not stop developing in childhood. Literacy should grow with the individual. As young people develop, literacy gives them greater opportunities to learn, participate and make informed choices. In adulthood, it enables people to navigate an increasingly complex world, continue learning and contribute meaningfully to their families, workplaces and communities.
This broader understanding has important implications for Nigeria. Confining literacy to the classroom has limited the attention given to its development and application by families, communities and government. Literacy is not the responsibility of schools alone. Parents can make reading and meaningful language use part of everyday family life. Teachers can make reading and writing meaningful rather than reducing literacy to examination preparation. Schools can build cultures in which books are accessible and reading is valued. Communities, civil-society organisations and the private sector can help create environments where reading and learning are visible and supported. Government, too, has a critical responsibility. Strong literacy foundations require sustained attention to the quality of teaching, learning materials, teacher preparation and educational policy. Literacy deserves deliberate attention at every level of education.
It is also important to recognise that literacy is more than reading. Reading, writing, speaking, listening, thinking and evaluating are interconnected dimensions of effective language use. In a world of rapidly changing information and expanding digital technologies, people must not only read and write but also understand, question, evaluate and use information responsibly. Read. Learn. Thrive. At LiPAN, we see literacy not as an end in itself but as part of a continuing process. We read, we learn, and through learning we are better equipped to thrive. For a child, this may mean acquiring the foundations needed to learn successfully in school. For a young person, it may mean gaining the knowledge and confidence to participate and make informed choices. For an adult, it may mean continuing to learn, adapt, work, contribute and navigate an increasingly complex world. This perspective is central to the theme ‘Literacy for People, the Planet and Prosperity.’ Literacy empowers people to learn, communicate, participate and respond to the challenges and opportunities around them. When individuals are empowered in this way, families and communities are strengthened, and societies are better positioned to prosper.
LiPAN’s commitment to this broader understanding of literacy will also be reflected in its 20th Biennial Conference, to be held from 13-15 October 2026 at the University of Ibadan, under the theme ‘Early Literacy Development in Nigeria: Strengthening Foundations for Learning and National Development’. The conference will engage issues of literacy development through panel discussions and plenary sessions, bringing together educators, researchers, policymakers and other stakeholders to consider the challenges and actions needed to strengthen literacy foundations in Nigeria. But advocacy must be accompanied by action. One simple action is DEAR: Drop Everything And Read. Reading does not have to wait for the classroom. Families can read together. Parents can read to children. Children can read to one another. Young people and adults can set aside time to read something meaningful. A book, newspaper, magazine, story or other worthwhile text can become an opportunity to learn, reflect and connect.
Sometimes, meaningful change begins with something as simple as picking up a book and reading. As Nigeria joins the global community to mark International Literacy Day, LiPAN calls on parents, teachers, schools, communities, government, organisations and individuals to renew their commitment to literacy. Let us create homes where children see people reading. Let us build schools where reading and writing are valued. Let us create communities where books and meaningful texts are accessible. Let us support children, young people and adults in becoming confident, capable and lifelong readers and learners. And let us recognise that literacy is not merely preparation for life. Literacy is life. Read. Learn. Thrive.