Imagine a life where your dreams are stolen, and your freedom is taken away. This is the reality for many Nigerians who are tricked or forced into modern slavery and human trafficking. These aren’t just numbers in a report; they are real people with lives, families, and hopes.
According to the 2023 Global Slavery Index by the Walk Free Foundation, about 1.6 million Nigerians live in conditions of modern slavery. This includes forced labor, forced marriage, sexual exploitation, and other forms of abuse. Women and children are particularly vulnerable. The situation is worsened by poverty, lack of education, insecurity, and ongoing conflict, especially in the Northeast region.
The Scale of the Problem
The International Labour Organization (ILO) estimates that globally, over 40 million people are trapped in modern slavery, with Africa accounting for a significant share. In its 2017 report, the ILO noted the widespread nature of this issue. Nigeria is ranked among the countries with the highest prevalence of trafficking in Africa.
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), in its 2024 Global Report on Trafficking in Persons, reports that victims from West Africa, including Nigeria, are mostly trafficked within the region. The report also highlights that armed conflict and displacement increase vulnerability to trafficking.
According to the U.S. Department of State’s 2024 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report, Nigeria maintains its Tier 2 ranking, acknowledging the government’s significant efforts to combat human trafficking. These efforts included convicting two complicit officials for the first time in four years, improving collaboration with foreign counterparts, and launching new standards for victim services. However, the U.S. Department of State also notes that Nigeria remains a significant country of origin, transit, and destination for individuals subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking.
The U.S. Department of State reports a decrease in law enforcement activity. In 2024, investigations were initiated for 698 cases (333 sex trafficking, 172 labor trafficking, 193 unspecified), down from 1,242 cases the previous year.
Prosecutions were initiated for only 48 alleged traffickers (45 for sex trafficking, 3 for labor trafficking), resulting in 24 convictions for sex trafficking, a decrease from 97 convictions reported the previous year. Additionally, 1,194 trafficking victims were identified and referred to services (654 sex trafficking, 540 labor trafficking), compared to 1,384 the previous year.
Despite these challenges, the U.S. Department of State acknowledges that NAPTIP operated 14 shelters and provided critical support services to 1,587 victims.
The Human Cost Behind the Numbers
Ada, a mother of two from Nigeria, was lured by the promise of a stable job in the UK. A family friend assured her of work as a housekeeper for a wealthy family in London. Trusting this opportunity, Ada left her home, only to be met at the airport by her trafficker, who informed her that the promised job had vanished and that she now owed him a debt. The horrific reality dawned when Ada realized she was expected to engage in sex work to repay this so-called debt. In a desperate act of courage, she escaped after a struggle and found refuge in a church, where members sheltered her. Years later, with support from the Medaille Trust, Ada rebuilt her life, eventually moving into safe accommodation and regaining her independence.
Jennifer’s story began in rural Nigeria, where poverty and family tragedy made her vulnerable. After her brother’s death, a wealthy woman named Elizabeth befriended Jennifer, promising education and a better future. But after Jennifer became pregnant, Elizabeth’s support turned into manipulation. Jennifer was taken to Lagos, where she was raped and then trafficked to Europe under a false identity. In Italy and Hungary, she was forced into sex work, suffering physical and emotional abuse. Eventually, Jennifer escaped with the help of a kind stranger and made her way to the UK, where she battled illness and addiction before finding support from The Salvation Army. Years later, Jennifer was finally reunited with her daughter after two decades apart, determined to build a new life and reclaim her dreams.
In September 2024, a Nigerian woman, Agbabiaka Bola trafficked to Egypt was rescued and reunited with her family. Her teenage daughter, Mary, described the pain of separation and the joy of having her mother back. The survivor, now determined never to leave Nigeria again, is rebuilding her life as a tailor, supported by organizations like NAPTIP and IOM..
Loretta, a Nigerian nurse, thought she was moving to the UK for a legitimate job. Instead, her employer confiscated her passport and forced her to work without breaks, threatening her immigration status.
Many Nigerians who go abroad for work end up trapped as domestic servants with little pay and no freedom. These hidden cases are difficult to detect because they happen behind closed doors.
Legal Framework and Enforcement
Nigeria’s main law addressing trafficking is the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015, which replaced the 2003 law to better address modern trafficking forms. It criminalizes all trafficking types, including forced labor and sexual exploitation, with penalties ranging from five years imprisonment and fines for labor trafficking, to up to 10 years or more for sex trafficking.
The law protects victims from prosecution for crimes committed under coercion and mandates government support such as medical care, counseling, and legal aid. The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) was established to enforce this law, investigate trafficking cases, rescue victims, prosecute offenders, and coordinate victim rehabilitation.
Effectiveness of the Agency (NAPTIP)
As of August 2024, the agency stated that it has secured a total of 677 convictions of human traffickers, with 36 convictions already recorded in 2024 alone. This includes high-profile cases, such as the extradition of a trafficker to Italy to serve a 13-year sentence and mutual legal assistance convictions involving traffickers sentenced in Belgium and Spain.
NAPTIP reports that it currently has 243 human trafficking cases pending before various courts across the country.
The agency also states that it has rescued and received over 24,000 victims of human trafficking and violence, many of whom have been rehabilitated and empowered with life skills, with some even being employed by the agency itself.
In April 2025, NAPTIP received 231 victims of human trafficking rescued from Ghana by the Economic and Organised Crimes Office (EOCO). The victims, mostly males aged 15 to 18, were trafficked for sexual exploitation and forced cybercrime.
Challenges
Despite progress, significant challenges remain. Judicial delays, limited resources, and corruption hinder effective prosecution. Many survivors do not receive long-term social or economic support after rescue, complicating reintegration. Poverty and stigma further obstruct recovery.
NAPTIP reports that it faces challenges such as weak laws, slow court processes, corruption among law enforcement agencies, limited funding, and inadequate shelters for victims.
According to the U.S. Department of State, persistent challenges continue to hinder anti-trafficking efforts in Nigeria. Corruption, especially involving officials within NAPTIP and the judiciary, remains a significant impediment, fostering impunity for traffickers.
Why Trafficking Still Happens
Experts identify several interconnected factors that sustain human trafficking in Nigeria. The most prominent are poverty, limited access to education, and widespread insecurity.
According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in 2015, the root causes of human trafficking in Nigeria include poverty, lack of education, and internal displacement.
- Poverty: Economic hardship drives many Nigerians to seek opportunities, even risky ones, for themselves and their families. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, a significant percentage of the Nigerian population lived below the poverty line in 2023, making them vulnerable to deceptive offers from traffickers.
- Lack of Education: Limited access to quality education reduces awareness about the risks of trafficking and limits economic opportunities, making individuals more susceptible to exploitation. UNESCO data indicates that Nigeria has a significant number of out-of-school children, particularly in conflict-affected areas.
- Insecurity and Displacement: Ongoing conflicts, particularly in the Northeast, have displaced millions of Nigerians, leaving them without homes, livelihoods, and social support networks. Displaced populations are particularly vulnerable to trafficking. A report by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) found that internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Nigeria are at a significantly higher risk of being trafficked than the general population.
