Precious Nwonu, Enugu
President Bola Tinubu has unveiled a four-year national action plan aimed at eliminating child labour in Nigeria, describing the issue as a major national development concern.
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.
The President, who was represented at the event by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, also launched the 2024 National Child Labour Survey Report.
According to a statement by Akume’s media aide, Yomi Odunuga, Tinubu said child labour had implications for several areas of national development, including education, poverty reduction, economic growth, food security and human capital development.
He said the Federal Government would focus on addressing the factors that push children into labour, while strengthening systems designed to protect them.
“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,” the President said.
Tinubu said his administration would improve labour administration and inspection, strengthen child protection systems and expand interventions addressing poverty, unemployment, poor access to quality education and social exclusion.
He said the 2026 theme, “Red Card to Child Labour: Fair Play for Children, Decent Work for Adults,” reflected the country’s commitment to tackling child exploitation.
The President identified education as a key measure for preventing child labour, saying his administration was implementing reforms focused on out-of-school children, education data, teacher development and skills acquisition.
He added that the Renewed Hope National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme would encourage school attendance while helping to address hunger and malnutrition among children from vulnerable families.
Tinubu also pointed to social protection programmes, including the NG-CARES Additional Financing Programme and the Human Capital Opportunities for Prosperity and Equity Programme, as measures aimed at strengthening household resilience.
According to him, expanding economic opportunities for parents and caregivers would help reduce the pressure that forces children to contribute to household income.
The President also referenced the National Plan of Action on Ending Violence Against Children in Nigeria 2024-2030, launched in 2025, and said efforts were ongoing to strengthen enforcement of the Child Rights Act and other laws protecting children.
He said the government was also taking steps to improve security in schools, particularly in communities considered vulnerable to threats.
Tinubu described Nigeria’s status as an Alliance 8.7 Pathfinder Country as both a responsibility and an opportunity to demonstrate progress in combating child labour.
He said the newly launched National Child Labour Policy and National Action Plan 2026-2030 would provide a framework for turning the country’s commitments into measurable actions.
The President urged state governments to support the implementation of the plan and called on the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and Nigeria Governors’ Spouses Forum to promote child protection initiatives across the country.
He also appealed to employers to ensure that their supply chains were free from child labour.
Workers’ organisations, development partners, traditional and religious leaders, communities, parents and guardians were similarly urged to contribute to efforts to protect children from exploitation.
Tinubu subsequently launched the 2024 National Child Labour Survey, conducted under the Labour Force Survey, alongside the National Policy and National Action Plan for the Elimination of Child Labour 2026-2030.
He directed federal ministries, departments and agencies, state governments, employers, workers’ organisations, development partners and civil society organisations to work towards 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.
Tinubu said the country must now move “beyond commitment to action” to ensure that Nigerian children have access to education and protection and are able to grow up free from exploitation.