ILO equips Nigerian youth to lead the fight against child labour
28 March 2025
Through the ACCEL Africa project, the ILO has strengthened the capacity of young Nigerians to combat child labour and advocate for decent work. A three-day training in Lagos equipped youth leaders with advocacy skills, digital tools, and strategies to drive policy change and protect vulnerable children.
The International Labour Organization (ILO), through its ACCEL Africa project, is empowering young Nigerians to take decisive action against child labour and promote workers’ rights. A recent training programme brought together youth leaders, trade union representatives, and civil society advocates to strengthen their capacity to advance Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work (FPRW).
Held from March 24 to 26, 2025, the workshop gathered young representatives from the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC), civil society, and youth movements from across the country. The training focused on equipping participants with advocacy skills, digital tools, and grassroots mobilization techniques to combat child labour and promote decent work conditions.
Nigeria faces a serious child labour crisis, with twenty-five million children—39.2% of those aged 5 to 17—engaged in child labour, according to the Nigeria Child Labour Survey Report (2022). The situation is particularly severe in rural areas, where 44.8% of children are affected. With young people making up 70% of Nigeria’s population, their active involvement in policy advocacy and social mobilization is crucial to reversing these trends.
Participants explored strategies to amplify their advocacy through digital platforms, leveraging social media to drive public discourse and policy change. “Social media is a powerful tool, and we need to use it strategically to push the conversation on child labour and workers’ rights into the digital space,” said Chukwumah Nzeh, from the International Department of the Nigeria Labour Congress.
For many young workers, entry into the labour market is fraught with low wages, job insecurity, and gender-based discrimination. Nafisat Shuaibu, a trainee from Niger State, highlighted the need for stronger advocacy against workplace gender bias, noting, “Gender inequality is real in the workplace. The training deepened my understanding of how to challenge discrimination and push for women’s rights.”
Representing the ILO Director, Country Office Abuja, Ghana, Liberia, Sierra-Leone, and the Liaison Office of ECOWAS, Vanessa Phala (Ph. D), Senior Specialist ACTRAV, Inviolata Chinyangarara, emphasized the power of youth-led activism.
Young people worldwide are speaking out against child labour and forced labour. They are raising awareness, acting as a voice for vulnerable children, and calling on decision-makers to act urgently.
Inviolata Chinyangarara, Senior Specialist ACTRAV
The training inspired participants to take action in their communities. They committed to organizing stakeholder meetings, conducting advocacy campaigns, visiting affected communities, and collaborating with policymakers to drive systemic change.
As the workshop concluded, one message stood clear: young people are not just the future—they are the present. Their commitment to fair labour practices and children’s rights marks a significant step in Nigeria’s fight against exploitation and injustice.