President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has declared the elimination of child labour a national development priority, stating that the practice undermines education, poverty reduction, economic growth, food security, human capital development, and national security.
The President 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). At the event, he also formally launched the 2024 National Child Labour Survey Report.
President Tinubu said his administration would strengthen labour administration and inspection systems, enhance child protection mechanisms, and intensify interventions that address poverty, unemployment, inadequate access to quality education, and social exclusion.
He noted that the theme of the 2026 commemoration — “Red Card to Child Labour: Fair Play for Children, Decent Work for Adults” — reflects Nigeria’s firm commitment to ending the exploitation of children.
“As an Alliance 8.7 Pathfinder Country, Nigeria accepts both the responsibility and the opportunity to lead by example. I am pleased that the National Child Labour Policy and the National Action Plan for the Elimination of Child Labour (2026–2030), which we are launching today, provide a practical roadmap for translating our international commitments into measurable national action,” the President stated.
President Tinubu identified education as one of the strongest safeguards against child labour. He highlighted ongoing reforms targeting out-of-school children, education data systems, teacher development, and skills acquisition.
He also pointed to the Renewed Hope National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme as a key intervention to support school attendance while addressing hunger and nutritional challenges among children from vulnerable households. Additional measures are being taken to improve safety in schools, particularly in high-risk areas.
The President subsequently launched the National Child Labour Survey (Labour Force Survey) 2024 Report together with the National Policy and National Action Plan for the Elimination of Child Labour (2026–2030).