ILO Intensifies Efforts Against Child Labour In Nigerian States

The International Labour Organisation (ILO) has ramped up effort to tackle the menace of child labour in Nigeria’s artisanal small-scale gold mining supply chains in Niger and Osun States of  the country.

Indications to this development emerged when the ILO ACCEL Africa Project (Accelerating Action for the Elimination of Child Labour in Supply Chains in Africa), held significant workshops from February 18 – 27, 2025, in the two states, a statement from ILO said.

The workshops aim was to empower stakeholders and representatives from government, employers, workers organisations and community leaders, to eliminate child labour and uphold best practices in OSH in the ASGM sector in Niger and Osun States.

In addition, members of Community Child Labour Monitoring Committees (CCLMCs) in the states were equipped with the necessary skills and tools to enforce Community Action Plans (CAPs), monitor and report on child labour cases, and carry out interventions effectively.

The Director, ILO Country Office, Dr. Vanessa Phala, represented by the national project coordinator of the ACCEL Africa Phase II Project, Mrs. Celine Oni, stated that the objective of the workshop was to enhance capacities of stakeholders and institutions involved in the fight against child labour.

Participants discussed and demonstrated skills and knowledge to effectively develop, advocate and implement policies and strategies aimed at eradicating child labour.

The ACCEL Africa project firstly, is working with relevant stakeholders such as the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, the Ministry of Solid.

Minerals Development and members of the National Steering Committee on the Elimination of Child labour. The projects outcome is to strengthen institutions to develop and implement policies for the eradication of child labour in the cocoa and ASGM sector.

The second outcome is to address the root causes of child labour through innovative and evidence- based solutions in the supply chains (cocoa and ASGM). This outcome targets key thematic areas such as social protection, social finance, occupational safety, health and youth employment and promotion of smooth transitions from school to decent work.

Recall that the Durban Call to Action has emphasized the need to tackle root causes of child labor, which include poverty, lack of access to social protection and Health insurance coverage for the people.

There is ongoing research by the Project on social protection modalities and coverage, youth employment opportunities in Nigeria. It is expected that the research results and findings would guide the interventions in Niger and Osun.

The controller of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment (FMLE) in Niger State, Hauwa Zakariyya, said “occupational safety and health is everyone’s business, and it should never be underestimated. When safety is neglected, accidents are bound to occur. In every respectable workplace, safety measures are observed to prevent casualties while performing our duties.”

“And that is why we find it very, very important that the ACCEL Africa project is focusing on artisanal mining to prevent incidents such as what occurred in the Kuchiko community, where accidents resulted in many casualties, particularly involving children.”

On his part, the state controller for the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment in Osun State, Mr. Solomon Ayinde Alabi, expressed his gratitude for Osun State’s inclusion in the Phase II project, noting that although the state was not fully integrated in Phase I, it would now benefit from the experiences gained in other regions such as Ondo and Niger States, where the project has already shown positive outcomes.