The United States has raised serious concerns about human trafficking in Nigeria, citing alleged official complicity, corruption and inadequate accountability for public officials suspected of involvement in trafficking-related offences.
The concerns are contained in the US Department of State’s 2026 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report, which covers the period from April 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026.
The report also listed Nigeria among 14 countries identified under the US Child Soldiers Prevention Act for the recruitment and use of children by armed groups.
Despite the concerns, Nigeria retained its Tier 2 classification, meaning the country has not fully met the minimum standards for eliminating human trafficking but is making significant efforts to address the problem.
US questions accountability for alleged official involvement
According to the report, corruption and alleged official complicity remain major obstacles to tackling human trafficking in Nigeria.
The US assessment stated that Nigerian authorities did not report investigations, prosecutions or convictions of government employees allegedly involved in trafficking offences during the reporting period. It also noted that details of action taken against officials implicated in previous cases were not provided.
The report further criticized gaps in victim protection, including limited support services and the absence of a formal policy to prevent victims from being returned to countries where they could face hardship or retaliation.
Boko Haram, ISWAP accused of using children
Nigeria was included on the Child Soldiers Prevention Act list alongside 13 other countries, including Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Russia, Somalia and Sudan.
The report said Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province continued to recruit, abduct and use children, including those as young as 12.
According to the assessment, children were used as cooks, domestic workers, spies, porters, messengers, guards and armed combatants, among other roles.
The listing could affect certain categories of US military assistance, including international military education and training, foreign military financing and some licences for military equipment sales, unless a presidential waiver applies.
Baby factories and forced labour concerns
The report also highlighted illegal baby factories, which it said were sometimes disguised as orphanages, maternity homes or religious centres.
According to the assessment, women are allegedly held against their will, sexually abused and forced to carry pregnancies before their babies are sold after birth. The report described the practice as a widespread criminal industry, particularly in southern Nigeria.
Other forms of exploitation identified included sex trafficking, domestic servitude, forced begging, street vending, agricultural labour and work in granite quarries and artisanal mines.
The report also raised concerns about the exploitation of boys from rural communities by some Quranic school teachers through forced begging and seasonal agricultural work.
Victim support remains a concern
The US assessment said 675 trafficking victims received assistance in 2025, compared with 2,058 in 2024.
It identified limited support for male survivors and noted that only one dedicated non-governmental organization shelter for adult male victims was available during the reporting period.
The report also questioned certain shelter practices, including restrictions on residents’ freedom of movement and requirements for some victims to cooperate with law enforcement to access particular protection services.
US acknowledges progress in prosecutions
Despite the criticisms, the report recognised improvements in Nigeria’s anti-trafficking enforcement efforts.
Authorities reportedly investigated 1,341 trafficking cases involving 1,367 suspects in 2025, compared with 744 investigations in 2024.
The country also recorded 94 prosecutions and 97 convictions in 2025, up from 71 prosecutions and 49 convictions in the previous year.
Government funding for victim services reportedly increased to ₦233 million in 2025 from ₦128 million in 2024, while funding for prevention programmes rose to ₦245 million from ₦58.8 million.
The report further noted the establishment of a police cybercrime unit, cooperation with foreign governments and INTERPOL, the identification of 2,004 victims and the repatriation of 428 Nigerians exploited abroad.
Nigeria faces pressure to strengthen protection
The findings present a mixed assessment of Nigeria’s anti-trafficking efforts, recognising increased investigations and funding while highlighting continuing concerns over accountability, child recruitment, forced labour and support for survivors.
Nigeria’s retention on Tier 2 reflects the US assessment that the country is making significant efforts but has yet to meet all the required minimum standards.
The report places renewed emphasis on the need for stronger investigations, accountability for proven offences, improved protection for vulnerable people and coordinated action against trafficking networks.
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