The realities of domestic child labour in Nigeria: A call for renewed action

BY TIWALOLA AKANNI

In 2022, reports from Vanguard told a grim story: an air force officer was convicted for repeatedly raping his teenage housemaid, and in Ondo state, a mother of four was charged with brutally assaulting her 12-year-old housekeeper. Shocking as these cases are, they are just a drop in the ocean of domestic child labour abuses in Nigeria—many of which slip under the radar, feeding a vicious cycle of exploitation.

A study by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) shows that over 24 million Nigerian children are involved in child labour, with a staggering 14.3 million engaged in hazardous work as of 2022. It’s not uncommon for Nigerian households to hire domestic help, but what was once the role of young adult men or women has alarmingly shifted to children, making them prime targets for abuse. As the International Labour Organisation (ILO) points out, “child labour in domestic work” includes any situation where a child below the legal minimum age is exploited in harsh or even slavery-like conditions.

It is crucial to emphasise the unique, delicate nature of domestic labour and the harsh realities faced by various children. Due to Nigeria’s struggling economy, high poverty rates and lack of social protection, children are forced to work in agricultural and informal sector jobs, including domestic work in order to survive and support their families. Inadequate education perpetuates the cycle, and cultural beliefs complicate efforts to address it. These causes should not be the reason why the cycle of abuse continues.

In Nigeria, the discussions on child labour often focus on visible jobs like farming, street selling or mining. However, they tend to overlook children working as domestic servants in private homes which often doesn’t get as much attention. Many see it as normal or less serious due to cultural norms, making it harder to address. Traditionally, children have helped with household chores under supervision, which is considered beneficial for their development. However, the key difference between child domestic labourers and those helping at home is the element of employment.

The problem is that child domestic labourers face long hours of working, abuse, no chance to go to school, are particularly vulnerable to harassment, including sexual harassment and are mostly underage or below the legal minimum working age. In several cases, even the stipulated minimum working age poses a threat such that to the health of these children may be affected because the burden or workload placed on these children is too much to bear.

The legal framework in place to combat child labour in Nigeria often lacks adequate implementation because various classifications of acceptable labour with varying age brackets stated in these child laws have conflicting interpretations. For instance, The Children and Young Persons Law define a “child” as anyone under the age of 14 and a “young person” as someone between the ages of 14 and 17, Section 277 of The Child Rights Act defines a “child” as any person under the age of 18.

While the Child Rights Act forbids the employment of children in domestic labour, the Labour Act forbids hiring children under the age of 15 for industrial tasks. Nonetheless, Section 59 of the Labour Act also permits hiring children under the age of 14 for a daily wage or on a daily basis, as long as their employment does not prevent them from returning to their parents’ or guardians’ home except for “children employed in domestic service”.

The Labour Act by this provision negates the provision of the Child Rights Act from prohibiting any form of domestic labour because it implies by “children employed in domestic service”, that there are, could be and allows for children to be employed in domestic labour.

In Nigeria, the Child Rights Act prohibits child labour but it is not fully domesticated in all states, states who are yet to are not taking action, justifying their non-compliance based on religious and cultural diversity. This lack of implementation hinders the Act’s ability to take precedence over customary laws and prevents states that have not ratified it from claiming children’s rights.

Domestic child labour isn’t just a human rights crisis—it’s a social and economic disaster. This practice robs children of their futures and hampers the nation’s development. Nigeria needs to be truly committed to tackling this issue and to stop turning a blind eye. First, enforce the existing laws—especially the Child Rights Act—and crack down hard on offenders. Fines and prison terms must match the severity of the harm inflicted on these vulnerable children.

Public awareness campaigns are critical, too. The government must educate its citizens on the dangers of child labour and provide accessible, quality education to every child. Strengthening social welfare programs could also help keep children out of the workforce and in classrooms where they belong.

International organizations can’t stand on the sidelines either. They need to partner with Nigeria to monitor progress, ensuring that the country upholds global labour standards. Developing robust enforcement mechanisms is key to breaking the cycle of domestic child labour. Every child in Nigeria deserves a chance to learn, grow, and live without the fear of exploitation.

The solution is clear: laws that protect children, enforced with precision, and a society that values its young enough to refuse to turn them into commodities. Only then can Nigeria truly begin to unlock the potential of its future generations.

Akanni is a corps member serving at the Institute of Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR). She graduated from Leadcity University Ibadan, Oyo state with a BSc in international relations. She can be contacted via tiwalolaakanni@gmail.com