From Adanna Nnamani, Abuja
The federal government and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) have vowed to intensify efforts to stamp out child labour in the country, declaring that every Nigerian child deserves education, safety, and a future free from exploitation.
Speaking during the 2025 Children’s Conference on the Elimination of Child Labour held on Monday in Abuja, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Mohammad Dingyadi, said the government remains committed to protecting the rights of children.
“Today, we are not just talking about you, we are listening to you, learning from you, and working with you to build a country where every child can grow up safe, educated, and full of dreams that can translate to reality,” he said.
The minister said child labour remains unacceptable and must be fought with renewed vigour. Citing a new ILO and UNICEF report showing a drop in global child labour figures from 160 million to 138 million, he said, “That is progress, and I am proud to say that Nigeria is part of that progress. But even one child in child labour is one too many. Children, imagine a Nigeria where every child is in school, learning and becoming the best version of themselves. Imagine a country where no child is working on the streets or in farms under harsh conditions. This is the Nigeria we are working towards. This is the Nigeria and future you deserve.”
Dingyadi urged children to speak boldly and assured them that the ideas shared at the conference would shape future policies.
In his goodwill message, NLC President, Joe Ajaero, said the fight against child labour must be urgent and sustained.
According to Ajaero, “Millions of Nigerian children are still out of school and trapped in exploitative labour, on our streets, in our farms, markets, and workshops.”
He said the NLC and its affiliates have remained consistent in their commitment to eliminate child labour through workplace campaigns, education programmes, and policy advocacy.
The labour leader noted that although some progress has been made, poverty, inequality, weak law enforcement, and underfunded education continue to fuel the problem.
“We cannot build decent work in Nigeria while children are forced to work, and not just work, but to work under inhumane and unsafe conditions,” he stated.
He called on government at all levels to implement and enforce the Child Rights Act in every state and ensure no child is denied access to free and quality education.
On her part, ILO Country Director, Dr Vanessa Phala, said millions of children in Nigeria are still engaged in unsafe and exploitative work in farms, homes, streets, and informal mines.
Phala said the ILO, through the ACCEL Africa Project, is supporting Nigeria to review its policies and set up a child labour monitoring system.
Quoting the 2022 National Bureau of Statistics child labour survey, she said 24.6 million Nigerian children are involved in child labour, with 14.3 million trapped in hazardous work.
The Country Director urged the National Assembly to pass the Labour Standards Bill to bring Nigeria’s laws in line with international conventions.
“We must accelerate efforts to institute zero tolerance for child labour in our cocoa farms, mines, and other sectors. Children should be in classrooms or playgrounds, not in exploitative work,” she declared.