Conflict induced internal displacement has caused over 2 million to be homeless across Nigeria with over 80% of the displaced population being women and children – with children accounting for the larger part of this population. While there appears to be a strong institutional framework to protect internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Nigeria, the legal framework on which the institutions could thrive is relatively weak. The lack of a uniform approach in ensuring access to education among the displaced and nondisplaced calls for a proactive measure on the part of the Nigerian government in providing compulsory and free basic education to all children of school age without any form of discrimination on the societal status of the children
By Zaldy C. Collado | May 5, 2026
This 11th volume in our series on ‘Internal Displacement in a Changing World Order’ argues that the global rise of conflict-induced internal displacement and the Doomsday Clock both reflect the same underlying conditions of global fragility and instability. The Doomsday Clock symbolically represents how close our species is to existential demise, due to myriad of reasons including nuclear escalation, geopolitical tensions, climate change, biological and technological hazards, and widespread conflict. By contrast, incidents of internal displacement provide an empirical account of how these threats are felt in human terms. In this respect, the significant increase in incidents of conflict-induced internal displacement worldwide manifests the broader risks captured by the Doomsday Clock. This is not a causal relationship. Rather, it suggests that the growth of internal displacement is not merely as a consequence of conflicts, but also an indicator of deeper structural failures in global governance and peacebuilding.