The ILO collaborates with Niger state government to combat child labour

Abuja, Nigeria – Vanessa Phala, ILO's Director for Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and the ECOWAS liaison office, appreciated the Governor's efforts in fighting child labour. She mentioned that the ILO has been active in Niger State and two other states since 2018, implementing interventions as part of the ACCEL Africa project, supported by the government of the Netherlands. The project's focus in Niger State is on small-scale artisanal mining, with the second phase expanding two to four communities across three Local Government areas.

She informed the Governor that Nigeria has taken significant steps to fight child labour by ratifying several ILO Conventions, enacting the Child Rights Act (2003), and becoming an Alliance 8.7 Pathfinder Country in 2022. The country is committed to achieving SDG target 8.7, which aims to eradicate forced labour, end modern slavery and human trafficking, and eliminate the worst forms of child labour by 2025.

Dr. Phala also highlighted the consideration of occupational safety, health, and social protection for vulnerable households in the second phase of the project, noting that poverty is a major contributor to child labour in Nigeria. She expressed appreciation for the Governor's complementary projects and urged the government to continue its efforts.

She requested the Governor and other stakeholders to consider necessary actions aimed at reviewing the policy framework of the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development to include provisions on the elimination of child labour, improving social protection through suitable health insurance coverage and expanding the Social Register for vulnerable individuals, declaration of a 'Zero tolerance for Child labour' in the state's food value chain, allocating budget lines for child labour and establishing of child labour desks.

In his response, the Niger State Governor thanked the ILO for the fight against child labour and pledged his government’s continued commitment to work with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) to eliminate child labour in the state. Farmer Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago expressed the need for the ILO to redefine and categorize child labour to avoid cultural misinterpretations. He highlighted the measures being taken by his administration to tackle the issues of child labour in his state and expressed his willingness to sign a memorandum of understanding with the ILO, to that effect. He emphasized the importance of collaboration with relevant stakeholders for better results.