Most Nigerian Youths Face Workplace Exploitation – Study

A research on decent work, conducted by the Network of Youth for Sustainable Initiative (NGYouthSDGs) with support from the Unifor Social Justice Fund, has revealed that seven of 10 Nigerian youths have suffered one form of workplace abuse or another.

The abuse, according to the report, ranges from unpaid wages and unsafe working conditions to harassment. According to the report, many remain silent out of fear of losing their jobs and deep mistrust in existing protection systems.

The study, carried out between October and November 2025, surveyed 2,149 young Nigerians aged 15 to 35 across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, painting a grim picture of widespread exploitation, weak labour protections and poor enforcement of workplace rights.

According to the report, 71 per cent of respondents said they had experienced workplace violations, while only 29 per cent reported none.

An overwhelming 73.8 per cent of youths were trapped in informal or mixed employment arrangements with no written contracts or social protection, leaving them highly vulnerable to abuse.

The study further showed that 57.5 per cent of the youths say they know rights exist, but only 40 per cent know where to report violations.  Meanwhile, only 30 per cent trust government policies adequately to protect youth employment rights

Also, only 43 per cent  said they received any training on workplace rights

“We cannot design labour policies without listening to young people,” Joshua Alade, Founder of NGYouthSDGs said in a statement in Abuja, on Thursday.

He added that  “This study reveals a stark reality: Nigerian youth know their rights exist, but most have no idea how to enforce them. The result is normalised exploitation. Awareness alone isn’t protection, we need action.”