**Launches 2026-2030 national action plan, 2024 child labour survey

***Directs MDAs, states, employers to ensure full implementation

President Bola Tinubu has declared the eradication of child labour a national development priority, warning that the menace undermines education, poverty reduction, economic growth, food security, human capital development and national security.

The President spoke Wednesday in Abuja at the National Dialogue on Advancing the Implementation of Nigeria’s National Child Labour Policy and National Action Plan (2026-2030), where he officially launched the 2024 National Child Labour Survey Report and the National Policy and National Action Plan for the Elimination of Child Labour (2026-2030).

Represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, President Tinubu said the Federal Government would intensify efforts to tackle the root causes that push children into exploitative 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.

“For this reason, the Federal Government considers the elimination of child labour not merely as a labour issue, but as a national development priority. It is linked to education, social protection, economic growth, poverty reduction, food security, human capital development and national security,” the President said.

He said his administration would continue to strengthen labour administration and inspection systems, child protection mechanisms and interventions aimed at addressing poverty, unemployment, inadequate access to quality education and social exclusion.

According to him, the theme of the 2026 commemoration, “Red Card to Child Labour: Fair Play for Children, Decent Work for Adults,” reflects Nigeria’s determination to reject all forms of child exploitation.

Tinubu identified access to education as one of the strongest safeguards against child labour, saying his administration was implementing reforms focused on reducing the number of out-of-school children, improving education data, developing teachers and expanding skills acquisition.

He added that the Renewed Hope National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme would support school attendance while addressing hunger and nutritional challenges among children from vulnerable households.

The President also said the government was strengthening social protection and household resilience through programmes such as the NG-CARES Additional Financing Programme and the Human Capital Opportunities for Prosperity and Equity (HOPE) Programme.

He explained that the initiatives were designed to expand economic opportunities and help parents and caregivers secure decent livelihoods, thereby reducing the pressure on children to work to support family survival.

President Tinubu recalled that his administration launched the National Plan of Action on Ending Violence Against Children in Nigeria (2024–2030) in 2025, while continuing to promote stronger enforcement of the Child Rights Act and other child protection laws.

He said the government was also implementing measures to improve safety in schools, particularly in vulnerable and high-risk areas.

“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,” he said.

The President called on state governments to fully support the implementation of the National Action Plan, urging the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and the Nigeria Governors’ Spouses Forum to champion child protection initiatives across the country.

He also charged employers to ensure that their supply chains were free of child labour, while urging workers’ organisations, development partners, traditional and religious leaders, communities, parents and guardians to support the national campaign.

President Tinubu subsequently launched the National Child Labour Survey (Labour Force Survey) 2024 Report and the National Policy and National Action Plan for the Elimination of Child Labour (2026–2030).

He directed Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), state governments, employers, workers’ organisations, development partners and civil society organisations to ensure the full implementation of the policy and action plan.

The President commended the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, International Labour Organisation (ILO), ECOWAS, European Union, Government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, United States Department of Labor, World Bank, National Bureau of Statistics and members of the National Steering Committee on the Elimination of Child Labour for supporting Nigeria’s efforts.

He stressed that the country must now move “beyond commitment to action” to ensure that every Nigerian child has access to education and protection and enjoys a childhood free from exploitation.