The Network Against Child Trafficking, Abuse and Labour (NACTAL) has called on the Federal Government to increase funding and strengthen its commitment to tackling human trafficking, citing gaps in the implementation of existing policies.
The immediate past president of NACTAL, Abdulganiu Abubakar, made the call in Abuja on Thursday during the public presentation of the organisation’s review of the 2025 Trafficking in Persons Report released by the United States Department of State.
Abubakar said the review found that the contributions of the Nigerian government, development partners and civil society organisations to combating human trafficking were not adequately represented in the US report.
He said the review was commissioned to assess the report’s findings, particularly on victim protection, rehabilitation and the provision of shelters.
According to him, development partners have supported policy development, assisted victims and refurbished shelters operated by civil society organisations and the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons.
He added that about 10 NAPTIP shelters had benefited from refurbishment support, while the contributions of more than 289 NACTAL member organisations and Nigeria’s role in regional anti-trafficking initiatives also deserved greater recognition.
However, he acknowledged persistent challenges, including inadequate funding, weak political will and shortcomings in prosecuting trafficking cases, particularly high-profile cases.
“The government of Nigeria needs to do a lot in terms of funding. The political will and commitment should improve,” he said.
Abubakar urged the government to provide an enabling environment for civil society organisations and development partners to operate independently while supporting public efforts to combat trafficking.
He also called for the recognition of investigative journalists who expose trafficking networks and alleged perpetrators.
Earlier, NACTAL Board of Trustees Chairperson and wife of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, Titi Abubakar, said international partners were supporting Nigeria’s anti-trafficking efforts partly to discourage the migration of vulnerable girls abroad.
She said the support was intended to help Nigerian girls remain in the country and pursue opportunities at home.
Abubakar also called for stronger collaboration among civil society organisations, noting that NACTAL could not tackle trafficking, abuse and child labour without wider participation.
“NACTAL has about 286 foot soldiers, those are the CSOs that are working with NACTAL because NACTAL alone cannot do it. So we must bring everybody on board to help in this fight,” she said.
Meanwhile, NACTAL President, Osita Osemene, announced plans to expand the network’s membership from about 286 civil society organisations to 500 within his first three months in office and at least 1,000 within a year.
He said the expansion would strengthen grassroots participation and improve support for victims and vulnerable groups.
Osemene stressed that combating human trafficking should not be left to international partners, describing it as a collective responsibility requiring greater involvement from Nigerians.
He added that his administration would prioritise capacity-building programmes to equip civil society organisations with the skills needed to respond effectively to trafficking and child labour cases.
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