Opinion
Child Labour: Any Hope For Nigerian Child?
Two weeks ago, I lis-tened to a conversation between two women at a bus stop where we were all taking shelter from the rain. One of them was assuring the other that she would supply the “goods”, but warned that upon the delivery of the “goods” her money must be available, otherwise the “goods” would be taken to a more ready customer.
Initially, I was not interested in the discussion as other peoples’ conversation shouldn’t be my business. However, I became curious when the first woman, once again warned the other “not to ever give the salary to the goods at the end of the month, you pay to me,”
I wondered how a commodity could be entitled to a monthly salary. But the picture became clearer when the other woman who appeared well to do, promised to keep to the agreement but insisted that the “goods” must be of high quality and ready to work. I paid more attention and was shocked to realise that the “goods” being referred to all along in the conversation was a house servant.
The goods supplier was in the business of getting children from villages and supplying them to house- holds in cities who were in need of them. While the house helps worked for their employers, the woman who brought them from villages, receive their salaries at the end of the month, takes her percentage and gives the remaining paltry sum to the househelp.
This is the sorry story of several underage Nigerian children who are daily being subjected to all kinds of inhuman treatment.
They suffer despair in private homes as domestic servants, among artisans as apprentices, persecuted as child-sorcerers by religious organisations. Many of them know no home other than the streets where they beg, hawk and labour for a living. They lack the basic things of life, no role model, poor education, lack of proper nutrients and many more.
A recent UNICEF Information sheet paints a gloomier picture.
It puts the number of under -14- child labourers across Nigeria at 15 million. “Many are exposed to long hours of work in dangerous and unhealthy environments, carrying too much responsibility for their age,” it disclosed. “Working in these hazardous conditions with little food, small pay, no education and no medical care establishes a cycle of child rights violation,” it further stated.
Three days ago, Nigeria joined other countries of the world to celebrate this year’s World Day Against Child Labour with the theme: Human Rights and Social Justice, Let’s end child labour.
Occasions like this should provide a spotlight on the right of all children to be protected from child labour and other violations of fundamental human rights.
It should be an opportunity to really assess the extent of domestication and enforcement of the Child Right Act already signed into law in many states. How has this act changed the ugly stories of many Nigerian children who are more or less slaves in their land?
In 2010 the international community adopted a roadmap for achieving the elimination of the worst form of child labour by 2016, which stressed that child labour is an impediment to children’s right and barrier to development. The question then is what effort is Nigeria making to achieve this target?
President Goodluck Jonathan’s effort in removing the almajiris’ from the streets in some northern states and putting them in schools is most commended. Commissioning the first of the series of schools for the almajiri children in Sokoto early last month, he promised to build over 400 of such schools across the 19 Northern states.
This move will no doubt yield a lot of positive results and spur development in the region. It will also reduce the growing insecurity in the country, particularly in the north as an uneducated child-street begger is more susceptible to the wiles of religious fanatic.
However, a lot still need to be done, especially in the area of providing good and responsible governance that will ensure good life for Nigerians. Unless some drastic measures are taken to reduce the level of poverty in the country, abolishing child labour in Nigeria in 2016 would merely turn to a wishful dream as poor parents would continue to use their children to provide food for their families.
The senseless looting and corruption that characterise our system will further make the elimination of child labour a mirage.
The 10th world day against child labour should therefore challenge government, parents and other stake holders on ways of creating better living conditions which still elude the children. Parents should be more interested in the welfare and education of their children to complement the efforts of government and other stake holders to end child labour and offer better protection for the rights of children in Nigeria.
Calista Ezeaku
From all indications, Nigeria possesses enough human and material resources to become a true economic powerhouse in Africa. According to the National Population Commission (NPC, 2023), the country’s population has grown steadily within the last decade, presently standing at about 220 million people—mostly young, vibrant, and innovative. Nigeria also remains the sixth-largest oil producer in the world, with enormous reserves of gas, fertile agricultural land, and human capital.
Yet, despite this enormous potential, the country continues to grapple with underdevelopment, poverty, unemployment, and insecurity. Recent data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS, 2023) show that about 129 million Nigerians currently live below the poverty line. Most families can no longer afford basic necessities, even as the government continues to project a rosy economic picture.
The Subsidy Question
The removal of fuel subsidy in 2023 by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been one of the most controversial policy decisions in Nigeria’s recent history. According to the president, subsidy removal was designed to reduce fiscal burden, unify the foreign exchange rate, attract investment, curb inflation, and discourage excessive government borrowing.
While these objectives are theoretically sound, the reality for ordinary Nigerians has been severe hardship. Fuel prices more than tripled, transportation costs surged, and food inflation—already high—rose above 30% (NBS, 2023). The World Bank (2023) estimates that an additional 7.1 million Nigerians were pushed into poverty after subsidy removal.
A Critical Economic View
As an economist, I argue that the problem was not subsidy removal itself—which was inevitable—but the timing, sequencing, and structural gaps in Nigeria’s implementation.
- Structural Miscalculation
Nigeria’s four state-owned refineries remain nonfunctional. By removing subsidies without local refining capacity, the government exposed the economy to import-price pass-through effects—where global oil price shocks translate directly into domestic inflation. This was not just a timing issue but a fundamental policy miscalculation.
- Neglect of Social Safety Nets
Countries like Indonesia (2005) and Ghana (2005) removed subsidies successfully only after introducing cash transfers, transport vouchers, and food subsidies for the poor (World Bank, 2005). Nigeria, however, implemented removal abruptly, shifting the fiscal burden directly onto households without protection.
- Failure to Secure Food and Energy Alternatives
Fuel subsidy removal amplified existing weaknesses in agriculture and energy. Instead of sequencing reforms, government left Nigerians without refinery capacity, renewable energy alternatives, or mechanized agricultural productivity—all of which could have cushioned the shock.
Political and Public Concerns
Prominent leaders have echoed these concerns. Mr. Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, described the subsidy removal as “good but wrongly timed.” Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party also faulted the government’s hasty approach. Human rights activists like Obodoekwe Stive stressed that refineries should have been made functional first, to reduce the suffering of citizens.
This is not just political rhetoric—it reflects a widespread economic reality. When inflation climbs above 30%, when purchasing power collapses, and when households cannot meet basic needs, the promise of reform becomes overshadowed by social pain.
Broader Implications
The consequences of this policy are multidimensional:
- Inflationary Pressures – Food inflation above 30% has made nutrition unaffordable for many households.
- Rising Poverty – 7.1 million Nigerians have been newly pushed into poverty (World Bank, 2023).
- Middle-Class Erosion – Rising transport, rent, and healthcare costs are squeezing household incomes.
- Debt Concerns – Despite promises, government borrowing has continued, raising sustainability questions.
- Public Distrust – When government promises savings but citizens feel only pain, trust in leadership erodes.
In effect, subsidy removal without structural readiness has widened inequality and eroded social stability.
Missed Opportunities
Nigeria’s leaders had the chance to approach subsidy removal differently:
- Refinery Rehabilitation – Ensuring local refining to reduce exposure to global oil price shocks.
- Renewable Energy Investment – Diversifying energy through solar, hydro, and wind to reduce reliance on imported petroleum.
- Agricultural Productivity – Mechanization, irrigation, and smallholder financing could have boosted food supply and stabilized prices.
- Social Safety Nets – Conditional cash transfers, food vouchers, and transport subsidies could have protected the most vulnerable.
Instead, reform came abruptly, leaving citizens to absorb all the pain while waiting for theoretical long-term benefits.
Conclusion: Reform With a Human Face
Fuel subsidy removal was inevitable, but Nigeria’s approach has worsened hardship for millions. True reform must go beyond fiscal savings to protect citizens.
Economic policy is not judged only by its efficiency but by its humanity. A well-sequenced reform could have balanced fiscal responsibility with equity, ensuring that ordinary Nigerians were not crushed under the weight of sudden change.
Nigeria has the resources, population, and resilience to lead Africa’s economy. But leadership requires foresight. It requires policies that are inclusive, humane, and strategically sequenced.
Reform without equity is displacement of poverty, not development. If Nigeria truly seeks progress, its policies must wear a human face.
References
- National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). (2023). Poverty and Inequality Report. Abuja.
- National Population Commission (NPC). (2023). Population Estimates. Abuja.
- World Bank. (2023). Nigeria Development Update. Washington, DC.
- World Bank. (2005). Fuel Subsidy Reforms: Lessons from Indonesia and Ghana. Washington, DC.
- OPEC. (2023). Annual Statistical Bulletin. Vienna.
By: Amarachi Amaugo
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