Our new report examines what separates genuine male allyship from symbolic involvement in efforts to advance girls' education in northern Nigeria.
Across northern Nigeria, restrictive gender norms remain one of the most significant barriers to girls' education, shaping decisions in households, communities and government offices long before a girl ever reaches a classroom.
This new report, commissioned by Malala Fund and produced by the development Research and Projects Centre, with technical input from MenEngage Nigeria, asks: what does it actually take to bring men and boys into girls' education work as allies rather than gatekeepers?
Drawing on 385 literature sources, 76 programme evaluations and 63 practitioner interviews, the study traces a continuum from symbolic participation to genuine allyship, and shows where northern Nigeria's male engagement efforts currently sit. Case studies from Borno, Kano, Bauchi and beyond bring that continuum to life, from a traditional ruler who intervenes directly in child marriage disputes to a Friday sermon that helped reopen a school door for dozens of girls.
The findings point to five practical shifts that could move the field from male involvement to accountability, and toward the kind of allyship girls urgently need to complete their education.