Several themes relevant to the personality development and intellectual functioning of children are presented in this position paper. Inferences for the education of Nigerian children are also drawn. Among general factors considered influential in children's intellectual development, three are emphasized: the way in which intelligence is defined, the use of intelligence tests, and the basic communication process involved in learning. An estimate that children in developed countries use 15 to 20 per cent of their mental ability is used to draw attention to the proposition that children in developing countries probably use their mental ability to a lesser extent; and that Nigerian educational planners should consider such prospects a cause for concern. Environmental factors, language, and the home are considered the major influences on personality development of children with implications for Nigerian children seen fundamentally as the need for parent education programs. Cultural factors, which predominate in Nigeria with its diverse tribes, are also discussed as significant influences on personality development. The paper's final section identifies five factors pertinent to the growth and development of intelligence among Nigerian children: the home environment, economic handicaps, nutrition, harsh local medical practices, and competitive nature of child rearing in Nigeria. (Author/DB)