By Michael Oche
Nigeria’s quest to eliminate child labour on Tuesday received a boost with the validation of a new National Policy and Action Plan (2026–2030) by the Federal Government and the International Labour Organisation (ILO).
The validation exercise, which took place at a two-day meeting in Abuja, is aimed at strengthening national coordination and accelerating efforts to eradicate child labour across the country.
Speaking at the opening session, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Dr Kamil Shoretire, described the exercise as a significant milestone in Nigeria’s commitment to protecting children from exploitation.
Shoretire, who was represented by the Director of Inspectorate in the ministry, Mrs Olaolu Olaitan, said the development reflects renewed national determination to safeguard children and ensure a better future for the next generation.
He commended the ILO for its continued technical support, noting that the partnership had strengthened institutional frameworks, improved stakeholder capacity, and enhanced data collection systems nationwide.
“Through our long-standing partnership, we have recorded notable progress in strengthening institutional frameworks, building stakeholder capacity, improving data collection systems and enhancing national awareness on the harmful effects of child labour,” he said.
The permanent secretary said child labour remained a major challenge in Nigeria and globally, depriving millions of children of their fundamental rights to education, health, protection and development.
According to him, findings from the 2022 National Child Labour Survey highlighted the urgent need for stronger interventions and enhanced collaboration to address poverty, limited access to education and social exclusion.
“The findings underscore the urgent need for stronger interventions, enhanced collaboration among stakeholders and sustained commitments to addressing the root causes of child labour,” he said.
Shoretire said the draft National Policy and National Action Plan were products of extensive consultations involving government institutions, employers’ and workers’ organisations, civil society groups, academia and development partners.
“The national policy establishes the strategic direction for preventing and eliminating child labour, while the action plan outlines specific actions, responsibilities, timelines, indicators and resource requirements for achieving desired outcomes,” he said.
He added that successful implementation would depend on sustained political commitment, adequate funding, strong coordination mechanisms and effective monitoring systems to ensure lasting change for Nigerian children.
Also speaking, Dr Vanessa Phala, ILO Country Director to Nigeria, commended the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, the National Steering Committee and other partners for reaching the critical milestone.
She also appreciated the European Union and the Government of the Netherlands for supporting the process through the FMM West Africa II and ACCEL Africa II projects.
“Child labour is a violation of fundamental human rights and compromises children’s future. This reminder reinforces why our work here today is both urgent and essential,” she said.
Phala said the policy, action plan and monitoring framework were informed by evaluations of previous interventions, findings from the 2022 National Child Labour Survey and relevant international labour standards.
Speaking in an interview with journalists, Ms Ruth Ataguba, consultant and resource person for the development of the National Child Labour Policy, said the draft document was developed through a participatory process involving key stakeholders.
She said the new policy addressed emerging challenges, including technology-facilitated child labour, labour governance concerns and deceptive recruitment practices that expose children and young persons to exploitation.
“We have looked into issues such as online facilitation of child labour and labour governance. The document also addresses deceptive recruitment processes and is aligned with the Marrakesh Declaration on emerging child labour challenges,” she said.
