ILO empowers Nigerian communities to access healthcare and combat child labour

ABUJA (ILO News) – The International Labour Organization (ILO), in partnership with the Ondo State Government and the Cocoa Farmers Association of Nigeria (CFAN), recently launched a series of awareness campaigns across 20 rural communities in Ondo State. This initiative, under the ILO's Global Accelerator Lab (GALAB) project, funded by the United States Department of Labor (USDOL), aims to promote health insurance enrolment among cocoa farmers, informal workers, and vulnerable households at risk of child labour.

Ondo State is Nigeria's largest cocoa-producing state, where many families depend on farming for their livelihood. However, poverty, limited access to healthcare, and child labour remain critical challenges. The Ondo State Contributory Health Scheme, including the “Orange Health Insurance Scheme” for informal sector workers and the “Basic Healthcare Provision Fund Programme” for vulnerable individuals, provides a unique opportunity to improve the wellbeing of these communities.

During the four-day campaign, the ILO collaborated with Cocoa Farmers Association of Nigeria (CFAN) , trade unions, community-based organisations, and the Ondo State Contributory Health Commission (ODCHC) to deliver targeted messaging on the benefits of these health insurance schemes. Community leaders, mobilisers, and healthcare officials reached out to thousands of farmers and residents, providing information on enrolment procedures and healthcare benefits.

Ensuring access to health insurance for vulnerable communities is a significant step towards eliminating child labour and improving livelihoods, this campaign exemplifies how collaboration between governments, workers’ representatives, and organisations like the ILO can foster real change.

Vanessa Phala - Director of the ILO Country Office for Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, and Liberia.

The expected results of this activity include increased awareness and commitment to child labour elimination, improved capacity of cooperative societies, enhanced collaboration among stakeholders, and the development of effective strategies for elimination. Ultimately, the goal is to improve the livelihoods of cocoa farmers and their families, reducing their reliance on child labour.

Before now, I didn’t know my family could benefit from health insurance. Through this programme, I’ve learned how to enrol and protect my children’s future. This knowledge will also help me focus on improving my farm without worrying about unexpected medical costs.

Chief Akinola Akinwole - Beneficiary

A total of 839 individuals were engaged across the 20 project communities. The awareness campaigns aim to boost enrolment in health insurance schemes among community members in these areas. This initiative is expected to not only enhance access to healthcare but also reduce child labour by improving the well-being and productivity of cocoa farmers and other informal workers. By tackling systemic challenges and equipping families with social protection, the GALAB project is fostering safer, healthier, and more productive communities.

About GALAB project

The ILO's Global Accelerator Lab (GALAB) project, funded by the United States Department of Labor (USDOL), with a total budget of $13.4 million, is a major component of the ILO's 8.7 Accelerator Lab initiative. It addresses the critical issue of child labour, a key barrier to achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Target 8.7 on decent work and economic growth.

The GALAB project operates on a global scale, fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing across regions. Through targeted interventions in several countries (Brazil, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Malaysia, Mauritania, Nigeria and Somalia) and regions (Africa, Asia and Latin America and the Caribbean), the project also delivers impactful results at the global, regional and national levels.