Nigeria Strengthens National Action to End Child Labour and Promotes child’s participation
ABUJA, Nigeria – Nigeria has renewed its drive to eliminate child labour, placing children’s education, protection and participation at the centre of national action while strengthening decent work and social protection to address the economic pressures that push children into work.
The renewed commitment emerged from the 6th National Children’s Conference on the Elimination of Child Labour and the National Dialogue on Advancing Implementation of Nigeria’s National Child Labour Policy and National Action Plan, held at the ECOWAS Commission Headquarters in Abuja. The events brought children together with government, employers’ and workers’ organizations, development partners, civil society and other stakeholders to turn commitments into practical measures that protect children and strengthen Nigeria’s development. The ILO supported these efforts through the European Union funded FMM West Africa and ACCEL Africa projects, funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands.
Nigeria faces an urgent challenge. The National Child Labour Survey (2022) shows that about 24.6 million children aged 5–17 engage in child labour, while 14.3 million undertake hazardous work. Poverty, limited educational opportunities, inadequate social protection and weak enforcement continue to expose children to exploitation and restrict their prospects. Nigeria responded by launching the National Child Labour Policy and National Action Plan 2026–2030. The framework aims to reduce child labour prevalence below 25 per cent and hazardous child labour below 10 per cent by 2030, while increasing school attendance in high-prevalence areas and expanding labour inspections.
These measures can deliver benefits beyond removing children from hazardous workplaces. Keeping children in school can strengthen learning, skills and future employability. Supporting vulnerable households through social protection and creating decent jobs for adults can reduce families’ dependence on children’s income. Stronger enforcement and responsible business practices can also make workplaces and supply chains safer. Children themselves helped shape the agenda. At the National Children’s Conference, they led discussions, presented recommendations and developed a Communiqué calling for quality education, stronger social protection, safer reporting mechanisms, responsible businesses and meaningful participation in decisions affecting them. Their message was unequivocal: children should not have to choose between earning enough to eat and attending school.
When parents and adult caregivers have access to decent, dignified work, children are freed from the pressure to labour
Children’s Communiqué
The ILO Country Director for Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone, Dr Vanessa Phala, stressed that childhood should provide opportunities for learning, play and growth rather than exploitation. She also highlighted stronger accountability, decent work, effective institutions, reliable data, partnerships and child participation as priorities for accelerating progress.
For Nigeria, eliminating child labour represents both a rights imperative and an investment in national prosperity. Protecting children, keeping them in classrooms and supporting families can build a healthier, better-skilled future workforce, reduce intergenerational poverty and strengthen inclusive economic growth. Stakeholders consequently committed to expand education and social protection, strengthen law enforcement, promote decent work, improve data and accountability, develop State Action Plans and integrate child labour priorities into development plans and budgets.
The national commitment now shifts attention from policy to implementation. Success will mean more children learning instead of labouring, more families accessing sustainable livelihoods, businesses strengthening responsible practices and institutions protecting vulnerable children.
By investing in children today, Nigeria can strengthen its human capital, productivity and resilience tomorrow—moving closer to a future where every child learns, grows safely and realizes their full potential.
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