President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has declared the elimination of child labour a national development priority, saying the menace threatens education, poverty reduction, economic growth, food security, human capital development and national security.
Tinubu made the declaration on Wednesday in Abuja at the National Dialogue on Advancing the Implementation of Nigeria’s National Child Labour Policy and National Action Plan (2026-2030), where he officially launched the 2024 National Child Labour Survey Report.
The President, who was represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, said the Federal Government would intensify efforts to address the root causes that force children into exploitative labour.
“Every nation is judged by how well it protects its children. A child who is forced into labour instead of attending school loses more than an education. That child loses opportunities, confidence, health and the chance to fully contribute to national development.
“For this reason, the Federal Government considers the elimination of child labour not merely as a labour issue, but as a national development priority. It is linked to education, social protection, economic growth, poverty reduction, food security, human capital development and national security,” he said.
Special Adviser to the Secretary to SGF on Media and Publicity, Mr. Yomi Odunuga, in a statement, quoted the President as saying that his administration would strengthen labour administration and inspection systems, child protection mechanisms and interventions addressing poverty, unemployment, inadequate access to quality education and social exclusion.
He said education remained one of the strongest safeguards against child labour, noting that the administration was pursuing reforms targeting out-of-school children, education data, teacher development and skills acquisition.
The President also said the Renewed Hope National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme would help improve school attendance while addressing hunger and nutritional challenges among children from vulnerable households.
According to him, the administration is strengthening social protection and household resilience through initiatives including the NG-CARES Additional Financing Programme and the Human Capital Opportunities for Prosperity and Equity (HOPE) Programme.
He said the programmes were aimed at expanding economic opportunities and ensuring that parents and caregivers could earn decent livelihoods, thereby reducing the pressure on children to work to support family survival.
Tinubu recalled that his administration launched the National Plan of Action on Ending Violence Against Children in Nigeria (2024-2030) in 2025 and had continued to promote stronger enforcement of the Child Rights Act and other child protection laws.
He added that measures were also being taken to improve safety in schools, particularly in vulnerable and high-risk areas.
The President said Nigeria’s status as an Alliance 8.7 Pathfinder Country placed a responsibility on the country to demonstrate leadership in the global campaign against child labour.
He said the newly launched National Child Labour Policy and National Action Plan for the Elimination of Child Labour (2026-2030) provided a practical roadmap for translating Nigeria’s international commitments into measurable national action.
Tinubu called on state governments to fully support implementation of the plan, while urging the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and Nigeria Governors’ Spouses Forum to champion child protection initiatives across the country.
He also charged employers to ensure that their supply chains were free of child labour and urged workers’ organisations, development partners, traditional and religious leaders, communities, parents and guardians to support the national campaign.
The President subsequently launched the National Child Labour Survey (Labour Force Survey) 2024 Report and the National Policy and National Action Plan for the Elimination of Child Labour (2026-2030).
He directed Ministries, Departments and Agencies, state governments, employers, workers’ organisations, development partners and civil society organisations to ensure the full implementation of the new policy and action plan.
Tinubu commended the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, International Labour Organisation, ECOWAS, European Union, Government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, United States Department of Labor, World Bank, National Bureau of Statistics and members of the National Steering Committee on the Elimination of Child Labour for supporting Nigeria’s efforts.
He stressed the need for the country to move “beyond commitment to action” to ensure that every Nigerian child enjoys education, protection and a childhood free from exploitation.
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