The Federal Government has directed regulatory and security agencies to report and act against cases of children engaged in hazardous work, particularly in mining, construction and agriculture.
Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Dr Kamil Shoretire, issued the directive in Abuja during a training workshop for labour reporters organised by the Labour Correspondents Association of Nigeria.
Shoretire said child labour remained prohibited under Nigeria’s laws and that the government would not tolerate the exploitation of children in dangerous working environments.
“For us in the Ministry of Labour and Employment, our child labour policy is very clear. Child labour will not be tolerated; it is a crime,” he said.
He said responsibility for enforcement extended beyond the Labour Ministry, particularly in specialised industries. Regulatory authorities overseeing mining, construction and other sectors, he said, must identify and report violations within their areas of responsibility.
On illegal mining, Shoretire said local and state authorities should report such activities so that security agencies could intervene, while legally operated mines must comply with prescribed standards.
He also warned against exposing children to dangerous tasks on construction sites, citing situations where children are made to carry cement, metals and other heavy materials on multi-storey projects.
The latest available National Bureau of Statistics survey found that 24.7 million Nigerian children aged five to 17 were engaged in child labour in 2022, representing 39.2 per cent of children in that age group. About 14.4 million, or 22.9 per cent, were involved in hazardous work.
The survey put child labour prevalence at 44.8 per cent in rural areas, compared with 30 per cent in urban communities.
Shoretire said the ministry would take appropriate action when cases were brought to its attention, including child labour involving street trading, hazardous domestic work and other forms of exploitation.
He linked the government’s position to the recently launched National Child Labour Policy, saying the initiative reinforced the administration’s objective of keeping children in safe environments and in school.
Nigeria’s legal framework includes constitutional protection of human dignity and provisions of the Child Rights Act prohibiting children from hazardous employment. The country has also ratified International Labour Organisation Conventions 138 and 182 on minimum age and the worst forms of child labour.
The permanent secretary said effective enforcement would require cooperation among government institutions rather than leaving the responsibility solely to the Labour Ministry.
The workshop also addressed emerging labour issues, including artificial intelligence, the gig economy, social security, migration, occupational safety, skills development and the future of work.
Shoretire urged journalists covering the sector to separate facts from allegations and opinions, warning that inaccurate or sensational reporting could worsen industrial disputes.
Head of Press and Public Relations at the ministry, Annah Daniel, said labour reporting served as a link between government, workers, employers and the wider public.
She said the training was intended to strengthen reporters’ ability to cover employment, social security, workplace safety, labour migration and other issues affecting Nigerian workers.
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