By Isaac Atunlute
Today, June 12, two significant observances collide on Nigeria’s national calendar: Democracy day and the World Day Against Child Labour. For many, this is merely symbolic. But for Abdulsalami Ladigbolu-Oranmiyan, president of the UNESCO Read and Earn Federation, it is more than a coincidence, it’s a powerful wake-up call.
“Democracy must not only be about elections and institutions,” he stated in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria. “It must protect children’s rights, dignity, and future.”
Despite being a signatory to international conventions, Nigeria remains one of the countries most affected by child labour. According to the International Labour Organization, around 15 million Nigerian children are engaged in child labour, with millions more at risk due to poverty, lack of access to education, and systemic neglect.
These children are often found working in agriculture, street trading, or domestic service, frequently in hazardous and exploitative conditions.
While child labor may feel like a distant issue, it is rooted in the everyday struggles of countless Nigerian families.
Experts argue that ending it requires more than official declarations—it demands grassroots action, public pressure, and a systemic transformation that brings education closer, strengthens families economically, and embeds children’s rights into national development policies.
What is working?
Some promising models are already in operation. In states like Osun and Kaduna, local non-governmental organizations (NGOs) such as Hope for Every Child and EduCare Africa have launched scholarship and family stipend programmes that are successfully keeping children in school.
These interventions work because they address the root causes—poverty and limited access to education—while engaging parents, members of the community, and schools in a shared mission.
At the national level, the federal government has implemented conditional cash transfers under the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP) to support vulnerable households.
“We need to do more than make promises,” said Ladigbolu-Oranmiyan stated. “We need to invest in stronger educational systems, provide economic support to vulnerable families, and ensure that every child is not victimized.”
To accelerate this, he urged the Tinubu administration to align its Renewed Hope agenda with SDG 8.7, the UN targets to eliminate all forms of child labor by 2025. He also called for deeper collaboration with the UN, humanitarian organizations, local communities, and religious organizations.
This Democracy Day, he noted, offers Nigeria a unique opportunity not just to examine governance, but also to examine the kind of future it is building for its youngest citizens.
Ending child labor in Nigeria may seem daunting, but it is within reach—especially when democracy is understood not just as a political right, but as a social contract to guarantee every child a safe, educated, and dignified life.
Child labour is not just a policy failure; it is a collective moral oversight. But the tide can turn when democracy delivers not only at the ballot box, but also in classrooms, clinics, and homes where every child has the right to safety and opportunity.
On June 12, Nigeria observes both Democracy Day and the World Day Against Child Labour, a confluence that highlights critical social issues. Abdulsalami Ladigbolu-Oranmiyan of the UNESCO Read and Earn Federation emphasizes that true democracy extends beyond just elections to protecting children's rights. Nigeria, despite being a signatory to international treaties, still faces significant child labor issues, with around 15 million children affected. The root causes include poverty and lack of education access, necessitating systemic changes.
Some effective models in states like Osun and Kaduna involve local NGOs providing scholarships and family stipends, addressing poverty and educational access. The national government has also introduced conditional cash transfers to support vulnerable households through the National Social Investment Programme. Ladigbolu-Oranmiyan advocates for more investment in education, economic support for families, and aligning policy with international goals like SDG 8.7 to eradicate child labor by 2025.
This dual observance on Democracy Day serves as a chance for Nigeria to reflect not only on governance but also on the future it is building for its children. The challenge of ending child labor is daunting but achievable if democracy is seen as a contract ensuring safe, educated, and dignified lives for all children, highlighting child labor as a moral issue rather than just a policy failure.
