ILO strengthens youth capacity to advocate for FPRW.

Lagos, Nigeria (ILO News) — Nigeria has a predominantly youthful population, with approximately 70% of its citizens under the age of 30. With their energy, numbers, and ability to mobilize communities, young people have significant potential to drive change by advocating against unfair labour practices, advancing workers' rights, and pushing for policies that protect children from exploitation.

In this context, the ILO, through the ACCEL Africa project, organized a Workers’ Programme on strengthening youth capacities to advocate for Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work (FPRW), including the elimination of child labour and forced labour. The programme brought together young workers from the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and their affiliate organizations, as well as representatives from Nigeria SDG Youths and civil society leaders. Its goal was to equip participants with the skills to combat child labour and promote FPRW and decent working conditions.

The three-day training, held in Lagos from 24 to 26 March 2025, gathered participants from ACCEL Africa project states — Niger, Osun, and Ondo — where interventions are ongoing to end child labour in artisanal small-scale gold mining and cocoa global supply chains. Additional participants joined from Adamawa, Kano, and the Federal Capital Territory.

Child labour remains a serious challenge in Nigeria. According to the Nigeria Child Labour Survey Report (2022) by the National Bureau of Statistics, nearly 25 million children — 39.2% of those aged 5 to 17 — are engaged in child labour. The situation is even more severe in rural areas, where 44.8% of children are affected compared to 30% in urban areas.

A central question dominated discussions during the training: how can young people actively fight child labour and improve respect for fundamental principles and rights at work?

Chukwumah Nzeh from the International Department of the Nigeria Labour Congress emphasized the integral role of trade unions in combating child labour and promoting decent work. He urged young people to become actively involved in trade union decision-making processes to drive real change.

For Nzeh, the answer lies in harnessing the power of youth and social media. Highlighting the role of digital advocacy, he said: “We have a large number of young people who are active, especially on social media, and we can leverage this to push the conversation about elimination of child labour and respect for workers' rights into the digital space.”

Many young people in Nigeria enter the labour market through low-paying, insecure jobs, often facing exploitation and gender-based violence. For the ACCEL Africa project, tackling root causes early means empowering youth to lead change from the grassroots — making their involvement essential.

According to Dr. Vanessa Phala, ILO Director for the Country Office Abuja, Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and the Liaison Office for ECOWAS — represented at the event by Inviolata Chinyangarara, Senior Specialist ACTRAV, Country Office Abuja — young people worldwide are increasingly raising their voices against child and forced labour.

“Young people worldwide are speaking out against child labour and forced labour and taking action to raise awareness on the Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work (FPRW). They are spreading knowledge among their peers, acting as a voice for those children whose rights are not respected, and calling on decision-makers to act urgently to protect children in danger” Inviolata Chinyangarara, Senior Specialist ACTRAV, Country Office Abuja

Participants also highlighted the intersection between decent work and gender equality. Nafisat Shuaibu, a participant from Niger State, spoke about gender bias as a significant barrier to advocating for decent work.

“Gender inequality is real in the workplace. When I visit some organizations, I see the way women are treated or downgraded, and it doesn’t sit well with me. I will try my best to advocate for women’s rights,” she said.

Comrade Tolu Akinmayowa, a trade unionist with the Trade Union Congress, stressed the importance of collaboration between stakeholders and government to strengthen youth participation in decision-making processes in the world of work.

“We need technical and financial support to make this happen. We also cannot underestimate the importance of training and capacity building for young people,” he said.

Celine Oni, ACCEL Africa’s National Project Coordinator, emphasized that while capacity building is crucial, the real impact comes from action taken within communities.

“One of my expectations is that the youth will be able to share their advocacy plans and designs in their communities, also through impactful messages on social media,” she said, noting that young people in the informal sector must also be included for broader outcomes.

As the training concluded, one message resonated clearly: young people are not just the future — they are the present. For the participants, the training marked only the beginning. They pledged their commitment to ending child labour and promoting fundamental principles and rights at work, outlining specific actions they plan to undertake, including organizing stakeholder meetings, community sensitization campaigns, media advocacy, policy engagement, and community feedback initiatives.