ILO champions safe mining practices and protects Nigeria’s children from labour exploitation

In the shadows of Nigeria's artisanal gold mining fields, children like 13-year-old Lawali Yusufa and 11-year-old Ibrahim often find themselves in perilous conditions. Their voices echo the harsh reality of child labour: Lawali dreams of returning to school, but his family’s financial struggles keep him mining. Ibrahim, eager to learn the craft, risks his safety daily. Their stories represent thousands of vulnerable children in Niger and Osun States' gold mining communities.

To address these challenges, the International Labour Organisation (ILO), through its ACCEL Africa Project, organized transformative workshops in Niger and Osun States from February 18-27, 2025. These workshops aimed to eliminate child labour and promote occupational safety and health (OSH) in artisanal small-scale gold mining (ASGM).

Stakeholders, including government officials, worker organizations, and community leaders, participated in the training sessions. They learned strategies to enforce Community Action Plans (CAPs) and to safeguard children from hazardous work environments. Members of Community Child Labour Monitoring Committees (CCLMCs) gained tools to identify and address child labour, ensuring that children like Lawali and Ibrahim can leave dangerous mining fields behind for brighter futures.

Occupational safety and health is everyone’s business. We must prevent incidents like those in Kuchiko, where mining accidents claimed lives, including children. The ACCEL Africa project equips us to educate miners and prevent such tragedies.

Hauwa Zakariyya - Controller of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment in Niger State

Participants visited local mining fields to observe hazards firsthand, engaging with miners and children. These interactions brought the urgency of the mission into focus, particularly for communities like Ibala in Osun State, where targeted interventions have drastically reduced the number of out-of-school children.

By addressing root causes like poverty and lack of education, we aim to create sustainable solutions. The Durban Call to Action inspires our mission to fight child labour and build safe, inclusive communities.

Vanessa Phala, PhD - ILO Country Office Director for Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone

For families and communities, the workshops represent hope and transformation. With strengthened policies and empowered local stakeholders, Nigeria takes a significant step toward protecting its children and creating safer, more prosperous mining communities. The tools and strategies introduced by the ILO aim to transform lives, ensuring that children like Lawali and Ibrahim no longer have to choose between safety and survival.