From Tina Abeku, Abuja
The Federal Government has confirmed leveraging key initiatives, especially social protection interventions, to curb human trafficking in Nigeria.Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), made this known at the 27th National Stakeholders Consultative Forum on Human Trafficking in Nigeria, yesterday, in Abuja.
He said: “The Federal Government of Nigeria has taken deliberate steps to tackle the root causes of human trafficking by addressing the socio-economic vulnerabilities that traffickers exploit.
“Anchored on the Renewed Hope Agenda, recent government interventions have included the Renewed Hope Conditional Cash Transfer Programme to support low-income households; job creation initiatives targeting over one million new jobs across sectors, and MSME support schemes that provide soft loans and grants to small businesses, especially in under-served communities.”
The minister noted that “skills acquisition and vocational training programmes have been scaled up to promote self-reliance among youth and returnee victims, while the introduction of the Student Loan Initiative is expanding access to education and reducing desperation-driven migration.”
“These actions, alongside targeted empowerment funds for women and expanded social protection measures, reflect a coordinated national effort to prevent trafficking by strengthening household resilience, economic inclusion, and opportunities for vulnerable populations,” he added.
Fagbemi said the consultative forum was pivotal in driving efforts and collaboration towards ending the scourge of human trafficking, and as a strategic platform for strengthening Nigeria’s coordinated and multi-sectoral response to human trafficking and related crimes.
Listing out key achievements of her agency, Director-General of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Person (NAPTIP), Binta Bello, explained: “Since inception, 24,550 victims have been rescued by the agency.
“Out of this figure, 7,053 victims were rescued and rehabilitated between 2022 and 2024, with efforts to ensure survivors are reintegrated and empowered to live meaningful lives.”
She promised that NAPTIP remains committed to ensuring that every victim receives the dignity, care, and support they deserve. Swiss Ambassador to Nigeria, Patrick Egloff, noted that the menace has devastating impacts, globally and locally.
Country Representative of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes (UNODC), Cheikh Toure, observed that prioritising inclusive approaches grounded in human rights, gender responsiveness and disability inclusion would ensure that no one is left behind.
He said: “Human trafficking isn’t just a crime, it’s an assault on dignity, a drag on development, and a threat to security. We need a united front, multi-sectoral, victim-focused approaches to this end, and this forum keeps us aligned at both federal, state, public and private, and globally.”
