…FG launches 2026–2030 policy, targets poverty, school exclusion and child exploitation
President Bola Tinubu has declared the elimination of child labour a national development priority, unveiling a four-year action plan aimed at tackling the factors that push children into exploitative work.
The President said child labour was not merely a labour issue, stressing that it had far-reaching implications for education, poverty reduction, economic growth, food security, human capital development and national security.
Tinubu spoke on Wednesday in Abuja at the National Dialogue on Advancing the Implementation of Nigeria’s National Child Labour Policy and National Action Plan, where the Federal Government launched the 2024 National Child Labour Survey Report.
The President was represented at the event by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume.
Tinubu said the government would intensify efforts to address poverty, unemployment, inadequate access to quality education and social exclusion, which he identified as factors contributing to child 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,” he said.
“For this reason, the Federal Government considers the elimination of child labour not merely as a labour issue, but as a national development priority.”
The President said the government would strengthen labour administration and inspection systems, child protection mechanisms and other interventions designed to prevent the exploitation of children.
He also identified education as one of the strongest safeguards against child labour, noting that the administration was implementing reforms focused on out-of-school children, education data, teacher development and skills acquisition.
Tinubu said the Renewed Hope National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme would also help improve school attendance while addressing hunger and nutritional challenges among children from vulnerable families.
He said the government was strengthening social protection and household resilience through programmes including the NG-CARES Additional Financing Programme and the Human Capital Opportunities for Prosperity and Equity Programme.
According to him, the initiatives are designed to expand economic opportunities and help parents and caregivers secure decent livelihoods, thereby reducing the pressure on children to work to support their families.
The President recalled that his administration launched the National Plan of Action on Ending Violence Against Children in Nigeria, covering 2024 to 2030, in 2025.
He said efforts were also being made to strengthen enforcement of the Child Rights Act and other child protection laws, while improving safety in schools, particularly in vulnerable and high-risk areas.
Tinubu said Nigeria’s status as an Alliance 8.7 Pathfinder Country carried both responsibility and an opportunity for the country to demonstrate leadership in the fight against child labour.
He described the National Child Labour Policy and National Action Plan for the Elimination of Child Labour 2026–2030 as a roadmap for translating Nigeria’s commitments into measurable action.
The President called on state governments to support the implementation of the action plan and urged the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and Nigeria Governors’ Spouses Forum to champion child protection initiatives across the country.
He also charged employers to ensure their supply chains were free of child labour.
Workers’ organisations, development partners, traditional and religious leaders, communities, parents and guardians were equally urged to support the national campaign.
Tinubu subsequently launched the 2024 National Child Labour Survey (Labour Force Survey) Report alongside 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 groups to ensure full implementation of the policy and action plan.
The President commended the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, International Labour Organisation, ECOWAS, European Union, Government of the Netherlands, United States Department of Labour, World Bank, National Bureau of Statistics and members of the National Steering Committee on the Elimination of Child Labour for their contributions.
He stressed that Nigeria must now move “beyond commitment to action” to ensure that every child has access to education, protection and a childhood free from exploitation.
