Building a skilled network of cooperative trainers to combat child labour in Nigeria

ABUJA (ILO News) - The ACCEL Africa Phase 2 Project, financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, in Nigeria has successfully concluded a series of coaching sessions across Ondo (13–17 October 2025), Osun (20–24 October), and Niger (27–31 October) States, marking a key milestone in harnessing cooperative development as a driver of resilience, decent work, and child labour elimination in the cocoa and artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) supply chains.

The sessions together a diverse set of stakeholders: cooperative unions, cocoa farmers’ associations, relevant sector organisations, Community Child Labour Monitoring Committees (CCLMCs), and local government representatives. This inclusive approach reflects the ILO’s emphasis on embedding cooperative development tools within existing community and institutional structures to ensure long-term ownership and continuity .

These workshops represent the final step of a structured capacity-building process that began earlier in the year with the Training of Trainers (26 May–10 June 2025). During that first phase, trainer candidates were introduced to the ILO’s suite of cooperative development tools: Think.COOP, Start.COOP, and My.COOP, and assessed on their facilitation skills, participatory methods, and mastery of core cooperative principles.

During the October coaching sessions, candidates facilitated real, field-level training sessions with cooperative members under the supervision of a Master Trainer. This practical exercise translated theory into practice, allowing candidates to demonstrate their ability to apply ILO methods, guide cooperative groups, and use participatory techniques effectively.

Participants reported stronger understanding of cooperative values and clearer insight into how democratic governance, member participation, and improved management practices can support more sustainable livelihoods. For many informal producer groups, the training provided a structured pathway toward formalisation, opening opportunities to access markets, services, and financial support.

Beyond strengthening individual capacities, the initiative contributes to building a national network of certified trainers who will continue delivering cooperative development support long after the project concludes.

With candidates now being recommended for certification, the project aims to strengthen institutions. By integrating Think.COOP, Start.COOP, and My.COOP into local systems and equipping community actors with practical tools, ACCEL Africa is helping communities create decent work opportunities, improve cooperative performance, and reduce the vulnerabilities that lead to child labour.