By Isaac Atunlute
This year, the Nigerian government, alongside key partners like the International Labour Organisation (ILO) is ramping up efforts to eradicate child labour. With stronger policy frameworks, digital monitoring tools, and a focus on measurable impact, the country is pushing to protect its most vulnerable citizens—children.
More than 15 million children in Nigeria are currently trapped in child labour. Many are exposed to dangerous and exploitative situations, from hauling heavy loads in markets to working long hours on farms and in mines. These children are shut out of school and even access to healthcare.
“Progress is being made, but more has to be done,” said Nigeria’s labour and employment minister, Dr Mohammadu Dingyadi, during the 2025 World Day Against Child Labour.
Dingyadi’s remarks reflect a disturbing global pattern: although worldwide child labour has declined from 160 million to 138 million, Nigeria’s situation remains concerning. In response, the government has launched a national child labour reporting website and a mobile application to track and report cases more efficiently.
Developed in partnership with the ILO, the Ministry of Labour, and the National Steering Committee on the Elimination of Child Labour, these digital tools are designed to boost transparency, strengthen accountability, and support enforcement across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
They also aim to empower communities to report abuses and protect their children.
But technology alone cannot end child labour.
Poverty, inequality, weak law enforcement, and underfunded schools continue to push children into work.
For many families, child labour is a survival strategy when education is out of reach.
The ongoing teachers’ strike in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), for instance, has left countless children out of school and at greater risk of exploitation.
“Decent work conditions will never be possible as long as children are being pushed into working under hazardous, inhumane conditions,” said Joe Ajaero, president of the Nigeria Labour Congress, urging he government to immediately resolve the strike to get the children back in classrooms.
Signs of progress
Despite the challenges, progress is visible. Government campaigns have helped thousands of children return to schools in states like Osun and Edo, where community-based child protection committees are actively involved.
Local CSOs, with ILO backing, are now using the mobile app to report and track child domestic labour cases, especially those affecting girls. In addition, conditional cash transfers under the National Social Investment Programme are helping families keep their children out of work and in school.
Several complementary schemes are also bolstering the fight. The At-Risk Children Programme (ARC-P), launched under the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, targets unsafe children with vocational training skills, psycho-social guidance, and pathways to formal education.
The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) is also renovating schools, training teachers, and distributing educational materials to communities where the rate of child labour is high.
In states like Edo and Delta, anti-trafficking task forces are partnering with community leaders and the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) to rescue exploited children from exploitation.
Together, these initiatives represent a more holistic strategy for tackling child labour in Nigeria. By combining data-driven policymaking, digital innovation, educational reform, and social protection, the government and its partners are beginning to dismantle one of the country’s most persistent human rights violations.
Yet success will depend on how deeply these interventions are rooted in local communities, how clearly progress is tracked, and how rapidly best practices are scaled across states.
If these efforts are sustained and expanded, they point to a hopeful future—where no Nigerian child has to choose between learning and survival and where every child’s potential can be fully realised.
The Nigerian government, in collaboration with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and other partners, is intensifying efforts to eradicate child labour, which affects over 15 million children in the country. These efforts include launching a national child labour reporting website and mobile application to enhance transparency and accountability. While technology aids enforcement, challenges like poverty, inequality, and inadequate educational opportunities continue to push children into work.
Government campaigns have successfully encouraged children to return to school in states such as Osun and Edo. Through initiatives like the National Social Investment Programme and the At-risk Children Programme (ARC-P), families receive support to keep children in school, while the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) is improving educational infrastructure. Additionally, anti-trafficking task forces work to rescue exploited children with the help of community leaders.
This multi-pronged approach combines data-driven policymaking, digital innovation, and educational reforms to tackle child labour comprehensively. Sustaining and expanding these efforts can potentially lead to a future where Nigerian children can pursue education without compromising their survival. However, the success of these efforts depends on community involvement, clear progress tracking, and scalable best practices across states.
