The Network Against Child Trafficking, Abuse and Labour (NACTAL) has called for increased collaboration among government agencies, civil society organisations and international partners to strengthen Nigeria’s fight against human trafficking and child labour.
The call was made on Thursday in Abuja by the organisation’s Board of Trustees Chairperson, Titi Atiku Abubakar, during the presentation of its review of the 2025 Trafficking in Persons Report released by the United States Department of State.
Abubakar said international partners were supporting Nigeria partly to discourage vulnerable Nigerian girls from migrating abroad and becoming a burden on host communities.
She stressed the need for greater collaboration among civil society organisations, noting that NACTAL could not effectively tackle trafficking, abuse and child labour without wider participation.
The former vice president’s wife said the network had about 286 civil society organisations working on the frontline of the campaign against human trafficking and related offences.
Meanwhile, NACTAL’s immediate past president and regional representative of the West African Coalition Against Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants, Abdulganiu Abubakar, said the network’s review found that the contributions of the Nigerian government, development partners and civil society groups were inadequately reflected in the 2025 US report.
He said the review examined Nigeria’s performance in combating human trafficking, particularly victim protection, rehabilitation and shelter provision.
According to him, development partners had supported policy development, assisted victims and refurbished shelters operated by NACTAL members and the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP). He added that about 10 NAPTIP shelters had benefited from refurbishment support.
Abubakar said the contributions of more than 289 NACTAL member organisations and Nigeria’s participation in regional anti-trafficking initiatives also deserved greater recognition.
However, he acknowledged persistent challenges, including inadequate funding, weak political will and shortcomings in prosecuting trafficking cases, particularly high-profile cases.
He urged the Federal Government to increase funding for relevant ministries and agencies, strengthen enforcement of existing policies and create an enabling environment for civil society organisations and development partners.
He also called for recognition of investigative journalists who expose trafficking cases and alleged perpetrators.
In his remarks, NACTAL President, Osita Osemene, announced plans to expand the network’s membership from about 286 civil society organisations to 500 within three months and at least 1,000 within one year.
Osemene said the expansion would strengthen community participation and improve support for victims and vulnerable groups.
He emphasised that combating human trafficking was a collective responsibility that required greater commitment from Nigerians, rather than reliance on international partners alone.
The NACTAL president added that his administration would prioritise capacity-building programmes to equip civil society organisations with the skills needed to address trafficking and child labour cases effectively.
