Olusola Akanni is a migration policy specialist whose work spans security, climate change, and human rights. With a decade of experience at the Nigeria Immigration Service, he has pioneered the use of geospatial intelligence and AI to map trafficking corridors and protect vulnerable communities. In this interview, he discusses the scale of trafficking in Nigeria, the factors driving it, and how technology can help dismantle the networks behind it.

How pervasive is the human trafficking problem in Nigeria and across West Africa?

 Nigeria is a major hub for human trafficking, and the scale is deeply alarming. The United States Department of State’s Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report and the Global Slavery Index both highlight Nigeria as one of the African countries with the highest prevalence of trafficking. The Nigerian government reported over 1,600 identified victims in 2023 alone, including 841 victims of sex trafficking and 543 of labour trafficking, an increase from the previous year’s 935 victims. 

Notably, trafficking in Nigeria operates both domestically and internationally. Around 61 per cent of trafficking cases are internal, while 39 per cent involve transnational movement. Victims are recruited from both rural and urban communities and trafficked to countries across West and Central Africa, including Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, Benin, and Cameroon, and further to North Africa and parts of Europe. It’s a crime that disproportionately affects women and children, particularly those from low-income backgrounds. In essence, Nigeria functions simultaneously as a source, transit, and destination country for both forced labour and sexual exploitation.

What underlying factors, such as conflict or climate migration, are driving these trafficking flows in our region?

The causes are multifaceted and interlinked. Conflict and displacement in regions like the Sahel and North-East Nigeria have uprooted millions. Many of these displaced individuals fall prey to traffickers who exploit their vulnerability. Officials within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have expressed concern over the intersection of displacement, insecurity, and the rise in organised criminal networks that have increased trafficking risks.

Equally important, climate change is acting as a force multiplier. Nigeria experiences increasingly severe floods, droughts, and land degradation, pushing pastoralists and farmers off their land. These climate-displaced individuals often migrate to informal settlements or Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps where resources are scarce and protections are minimal, which create ideal conditions for traffickers to operate.

To put it into perspective, the devastating floods of 2022 displaced over 1.4 million people across Nigeria and neighbouring Benin. Events like these leave behind highly vulnerable populations with limited economic opportunities and security, making them prime targets for trafficking syndicates.

 Turning to solutions, how can geospatial intelligence, such as GIS, remote sensing, or predictive mapping, be employed to combat trafficking?

Geospatial tools are proving to be transformative. Remote sensing and satellite imagery allow us to monitor and forecast areas of environmental risk, such as floodplains or drought-prone zones, before disasters occur. This is crucial because we now understand that trafficking risks spike during and after environmental crises.

During the 2022 flood emergency in Nigeria, many temporary settlements were established in hazard-prone zones without adequate foresight. With Geospatial Information Systems (GIS), we can now track displacement in real time. Agencies such as the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) are already using GIS dashboards to monitor internal displacement and assess which communities are most at risk.

In my work at the Nigeria Immigration Service, I led mapping projects that used satellite data combined with ground-level community insights to identify high-risk trafficking corridors. We integrated these with known smuggling routes and established surveillance zones. We also deployed drones and thermal imaging tools to monitor remote or porous borders, especially at night.

In urban areas, GIS enables predictive policing. For instance, we developed “crime heat maps” by analysing socioeconomic data, historical reports, and community tips. These tools allowed us to detect and respond to early signs of recruitment or trafficking activity in slum neighbourhoods. In short, geospatial intelligence allows law enforcement to act proactively, not just reactively.

What about AI-powered tools like machine learning, data fusion, and risk modelling? How do they complement geospatial strategies?

 Artificial Intelligence (AI) enhances what geospatial tools begin. Machine learning models can analyse large, unstructured data sets, such as mobile phone records, social media activity, travel data, and financial transactions, to identify patterns that indicate trafficking behaviour.

For instance, algorithms can detect abnormal communication patterns or identify mobile phones moving in suspicious ways along known trafficking routes. We have also worked on data fusion platforms that combine satellite imagery, population statistics, and open-source intelligence to create multi-dimensional risk models. These models can predict likely hotspots for trafficking based on a blend of climate vulnerability, economic stress, and historical trafficking data.

One of our most effective tools was a predictive mapping system we trained on past trafficking incidents, layered with climate and poverty indicators. It generated a dynamic “risk heat map” that helped Immigration officers focus patrols in previously overlooked border zones.

There are also specialised GIS software suites with built-in analytical functions like ArcGIS Pro Intelligence that allow us to track the intersection of individuals or events over time. This kind of temporal-spatial analysis reveals patterns in trafficking operations, including meeting points or recruitment hubs. AI helps transform raw, overwhelming data into actionable intelligence.

You have led these kinds of innovations within the Nigeria Immigration Service and worked closely with agencies like NAPTIP. Can you share some specific examples?

 Absolutely. One project I am proud of is the establishment of a “Geospatial Command Centre” for the North-West zone. We fused satellite imagery with interviews from local residents and village scouts to create an early-warning system. This hybrid model helped us intercept a child-trafficking ring that operated across the Nigeria-Niger border near Jigawa State.

I have also conducted joint training programs with the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) where frontline officers were trained to use mobile GIS tools for gathering structured data from the field. That data, including information on victims’ routes, locations, and recruiter details, was entered into a shared, secure database to aid real-time case tracking.

Regionally, I have presented Nigeria’s tech-driven approach at ECOWAS migration governance meetings, showcasing how our early-warning frameworks could serve as models for neighbouring states. I have also worked closely with IOM and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), particularly in capacity-building initiatives aimed at teaching officers to visualise and analyse anti-trafficking case data using GIS. These collaborations are enhancing inter-agency synergy, both nationally and regionally.

Human trafficking has clear national security implications. Can you expand on that, especially in terms of regional cooperation?

Trafficking is not just a human rights crisis; it’s a national security threat. These syndicates often fund other forms of organised crime, including terrorism. For instance, extremist groups in the Sahel region, including Boko Haram, have been known to exploit trafficking networks to finance operations or recruit labour.

Moreover, trafficking erodes public trust in institutions and exacerbates community instability. ECOWAS has rightly identified trafficking as a regional security issue. That is why countries across the region are now pushing for coordinated patrols, intelligence sharing, and harmonised anti-trafficking legislation.

At a recent ECOWAS Summit, officials emphasised the need for cross-border collaboration among source, transit, and destination countries. For Nigeria, this means working with Ghana, Niger, Mali, and others to synchronise enforcement operations and intelligence systems. As a result, our interoperability has improved significantly, especially in how we log, track, and share case data across borders. No single country can dismantle these networks alone.

What are the key challenges in integrating these technologies and data sources into anti-trafficking efforts?

The challenges are real and must be addressed holistically. First, we still face major data silos. Law enforcement, health services, immigration, and social workers all collect valuable information, but the systems are often disconnected. A recent global review found that public anti-trafficking data remains fragmented and lacks standardisation.

Second, there is a technical capacity gap. We need more trained personnel who are proficient in GIS, AI, and data analytics. Nigeria’s National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has acknowledged this and emphasised the importance of developing a workforce skilled in cutting-edge digital tools.

Third, infrastructure is patchy, especially in border communities. Reliable internet, power, and secure cloud platforms are not always available. This hampers real-time data collection and limits the reach of AI-based tools.

Finally, we must navigate legal and ethical constraints. Data privacy and protection laws rightly prevent the misuse of personal data, so we must ensure robust legal frameworks that allow lawful, secure sharing of intelligence without violating rights. These challenges show that rolling out technology is not just about equipment; it requires governance, investment, and trust-building.

As one of Africa’s top specialists in migration systems, environmental displacement, and technological innovation in Migration, what strategic policy recommendations would you propose for optimising the use of AI and geospatial technologies in the fight against human trafficking—both nationally and across the West African region?

With my decade of leadership experience at the intersection of migration policy, national security, and geospatial innovation, I recommend a strategic, five-point approach to institutionalise advanced technology in Nigeria’s anti-trafficking efforts. First, we must establish a national anti-trafficking data integration hub that consolidates de-identified case data from NAPTIP, the Nigeria Immigration Service, police, and NGOs, leveraging AI to identify trends and risk hotspots in real time. Second, there is a critical need to invest in human capital by embedding GIS and AI training into the core curriculum of law enforcement and immigration institutions, while expanding scholarships and global exchange programs to strengthen technical capacity. Third, we should mainstream trafficking risk into climate and disaster preparedness planning, ensuring that predictive geospatial models are used to anticipate vulnerable zones before environmental shocks displace communities. Fourth, fostering public-private collaboration is essential; the government should support tech startups and civil society innovators through open-data platforms, grants, and incubators focused on trafficking detection tools. Lastly, we must modernise legal frameworks to accommodate digital evidence and cross-border data sharing, working through ECOWAS to harmonise protocols and ensure that intelligence generated through AI and geospatial tools is legally actionable and regionally interoperable. Collectively, these measures will build a smarter, faster, and more responsive system to protect vulnerable populations and dismantle trafficking networks across Nigeria and the West African sub-region. 

 Your background spans geology, migration, environmental policy, and digital innovation. How has this shaped your approach?

My academic and professional path has been shaped by the complex intersection of environment, human mobility, and security. My foundation in geology taught me to understand landscapes and environmental risk. My postgraduate diploma in environmental management in Nigeria expanded that into community vulnerability and resilience.

My Master’s in Migration Studies from the University of San Francisco gave me a global policy lens, especially regarding forced migration and border governance. Working within the Nigeria Immigration Service since 2016, I have combined those insights with real-world enforcement and surveillance strategies.

I have also been fortunate to train internationally, including in human trafficking prevention courses in the Netherlands, and have led regional strategy discussions across West Africa. This blend allows me to bridge theory and practice—to design systems that are both technologically robust and human-centred. Some of my peers jokingly call me “The Digital Enforcer,” but that really reflects my belief in combining compassion with innovation to protect the vulnerable.