Every June 12, the world comes together to shine a light on a disturbing yet often overlooked reality, child labour. In 2025, the theme resonates louder than ever: Progress is clear, but there’s more to do: let’s speed up efforts! For Nigeria, this isn’t just a call to action; it’s a matter of urgency.
Imagine this: you’re walking through a bustling market in Kano or Lagos. Amid the crowd, you spot a child maybe 10 or 11 years old hauling a tray of goods on her head, trying to weave through the chaos. She should be in school, perhaps daydreaming of becoming a teacher, doctor, or even president. But instead, she’s negotiating with adults over peppers and tomatoes. That child could be Fatima. Or Emeka. Or Ibrahim. And they are everywhere.
Child Labour in Nigeria: More Than Just a Statistic
In the world today according to the International Labour Organization (ILO), over 15 million Nigerian children are trapped in child labour. Of that number, a large percentage are involved in hazardous work: mining, street hawking, domestic servitude, and agriculture under dangerous conditions. Many are exposed to abuse, exploitation, and neglect.
But here’s the thing: behind every number is a child with dreams. Child labour is not just a social issue; it’s a broken promise. It says to the Nigerian child, “Your future can wait,” when it absolutely cannot.
Why Are Nigerian Children Still Working?
It’s easy to point fingers in our world. Poverty is a big reason, no doubt. In households where feeding and shelter are daily struggles, children are pushed into labour to support the family. There’s also the issue of education, schools that are too far, underfunded, or simply unavailable.
But beyond poverty in the world, there’s culture, too. In some part communities, child labour is normalized. It’s seen as training or discipline. And while there’s nothing wrong with teaching children responsibility, we must ask: at what cost?
Let’s not forget insecurity in some regions especially in the North which has displaced families and made regular schooling almost impossible. Combine all of that with weak law enforcement, and what you have is a perfect storm where children are left to fend for themselves.
The Human Cost: What the Child Loses
When children are made to work instead of learn, society loses out. We lose future engineers, scientists, artists, and innovators. But more painfully, the child loses their right to a childhood: a time that should be filled with learning, play, and hope.
In the world, child labour robs kids of their mental, emotional, and physical health. It steals time, trust, and dignity. Fatima, instead of learning how to solve equations, is learning how to dodge harassment from customers. Emeka, instead of being in a science lab, is under a hot sun pushing a wheelbarrow.
It’s unjust. It’s unacceptable. And it’s avoidable.
What Can Be Done?
Now, this is where we turn from pain to possibility. The fight against child labour isn’t hopeless. In fact, there are concrete steps, some already being taken, that can change the narrative.
1. Free, Quality Education for All
Education is the most powerful antidote to child labour. If public schools are well-funded, staffed, and accessible, more parents will feel safe sending their kids to school rather than the streets.
In Lagos, for example, the Street to School Initiative has helped over 3,000 children transition from hawking to full-time education. They provide meals, uniforms, and even trauma counseling, because many of these children have been through more than we can imagine.
2. Economic Empowerment for Families
Parents don’t want their children to suffer. If given financial support, vocational training, or microloans, families are better equipped to keep kids in school and off the workbench.
3. Community Awareness and Cultural Change
People need to understand that child labour isn’t “discipline”, it’s a human rights violation. Through grassroots campaigns, religious institutions, and social media, we can change the narrative from within.
4. Stronger Laws and Enforcement
Nigeria has laws against child labour. Yes, the Child Rights Act (2003) prohibits child labour, and Nigeria has signed international conventions, but enforcement remains a challenge. The government must strengthen labour inspection systems, punish offenders, and ensure that child protection agencies are well-resourced.
5. Youth and NGO Involvement
Organizations like Inside Success Nigeria (ISN) and others are already helping by empowering young people through education and skills training. More such institutions, especially youth-led ones, need support and visibility. Individuals should support NGOs and community programs working on the ground. And it means speaking up when we see a child at risk.
The Role of Everyday Nigerians
Now here’s where you come in.
You may not work in policy or law enforcement. But maybe you run a shop and can choose not to hire a child. Maybe you can speak up when you see a child in distress. Maybe you can volunteer at an NGO or support school feeding programs. Push for accountability from elected officials.
Real change doesn’t only come from government; it comes from a collective shift in values. Every time we choose to protect a child’s future, we take a step closer to ending child labour.
Looking Ahead
The goal to eliminate child labour by 2025, as set by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), is slipping from our grasp. But that doesn’t mean we stop trying. For Nigeria, the path forward is steep but not impossible.
On this World Day Against Child Labour, let us renew our commitment not just in words, but in action. Let us choose the Nigerian child. Let us choose hope, dignity, and opportunity over exploitation.
Because a country that values its children is a country that values its future.
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Tags: #Children #Future #Posterity
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