US Lists Nigeria Among Countries Linked to Child Soldiers, Cites Baby Factories and Official Complicity

The United States government has raised concerns over human trafficking in Nigeria, citing alleged official complicity, weak protection for victims, child recruitment by armed groups and the continued operation of illegal baby factories.

The concerns were contained in the 2026 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report released by the US Department of State, covering the period from April 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026.

The report retained Nigeria on Tier 2, a classification for countries whose governments do not fully meet the minimum standards for eliminating human trafficking but are making significant efforts to address the problem.

However, the country was also listed under the US Child Soldiers Prevention Act (CSPA), alongside 13 other countries, including Afghanistan, Myanmar, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Iran, Russia, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Venezuela and Yemen.

According to the report, Nigeria’s inclusion on the child soldiers list could trigger restrictions from October 1, 2026, on certain forms of US military assistance, including international military education and training, foreign military financing, excess defence articles, peacekeeping operations and licences for direct commercial sales of military equipment, unless a presidential waiver applies.

Despite these concerns, the US acknowledged that Nigeria recorded improvements in investigating and prosecuting trafficking-related offences during the reporting period.

US Raises Concerns Over Official Complicity

The report identified corruption and alleged involvement of public officials in human trafficking as major concerns, accusing the Nigerian government of failing to provide information on investigations and prosecutions involving officials suspected of complicity.

“The government did not report any investigations, prosecutions, or convictions of government employees allegedly complicit in trafficking crimes or provide details or other actions taken against complicit officials from previous years,” the report stated.

It also alleged that, in some cases, the government pressured victims of forced marriage, including trafficking survivors, to return to their Boko Haram husbands at demobilisation centres in Borno State.

The report further expressed concern over the government’s ability to provide adequate support for trafficking victims.

It said 675 victims received assistance in 2025, compared with 2,058 in the previous year, while services for male victims remained particularly limited.

According to the report, Nigeria had only one dedicated non-governmental organisation shelter for adult male trafficking victims during the period under review.

It also criticised restrictions placed on residents of shelters operated by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), noting that they were not allowed freedom of movement.

The report alleged that some victims had to cooperate with law enforcement investigations to access certain protection services. It added that adult victims who declined shelter accommodation were not provided with adequate alternative support.

The US also noted that Nigeria lacked a formal policy to prevent trafficking victims from being returned to countries where they could face hardship or retaliation.

It further observed that, unlike the previous reporting period, the government did not report transferring children associated with non-state armed groups during the year under review.

Weak Labour Protection and Child Recruitment

The report criticised Nigeria’s labour protection framework, stating that the government had not prohibited recruitment fees charged to workers.

It also said there was no reported evidence of labour recruiters being held civilly or criminally liable for fraudulent recruitment practices.

Additionally, the report noted that labour inspectors had not received specialised training on child labour and human trafficking, while Nigerian diplomatic personnel had not been provided with anti-trafficking training.

On child soldiers, the US identified Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) as armed groups that continued to recruit, abduct and use children, including through force, fraud and coercion.

According to the report, children as young as 12 were allegedly used in various roles, including as cooks, domestic workers, spies, porters, messengers, bodyguards, checkpoint guards, armed fighters and suicide bombers.

The report explained that the definition of a child soldier covers people under the age of 18 who directly participate in hostilities, as well as children recruited for various support roles by armed forces or armed groups.

The CSPA listing could therefore have implications for Nigeria’s access to certain categories of US military assistance, subject to applicable legal provisions and any presidential waiver.

Foreign Criminal Networks and Forced Labour

The report also raised concerns about the activities of foreign criminal networks operating in Nigeria.

It alleged that highly organised syndicates fraudulently recruited foreign nationals for employment, confined them in rented properties and forced them to participate in organised online scams.

The report further stated that sources had raised concerns over the alleged promotion of Russia’s Alabuga Start programme by Nigeria’s Ministry of Education despite warning signs surrounding the initiative.

It also alleged that Russian authorities had fraudulently recruited Nigerians to fight in the Russia-Ukraine war.

In addition, the report raised concerns about the working conditions of some North Korean and Chinese nationals in Nigeria, noting that their circumstances could involve indicators of forced labour.

The allegations highlight the international dimensions of human trafficking and labour exploitation, including the risks associated with deceptive recruitment, cross-border employment and organised criminal activities.

Baby Factories, Sex Trafficking and Forced Labour

The US report described illegal baby factories as a persistent human trafficking problem in Nigeria, particularly in the southern part of the country.

It said criminal operators frequently disguised such facilities as orphanages, maternity homes or religious centres.

According to the report, women were allegedly held against their will, sexually abused and forced to become pregnant and give birth, after which their babies were sold.

The report noted that Nigerian government agencies and non-governmental organisations had described the practice as a widespread criminal industry.

It also identified several other forms of exploitation affecting children and adults across the country.

These include sex trafficking, forced domestic work, forced labour in granite quarries and artisanal mines, street begging, street vending, textile production and agricultural activities.

The report said adults and children were also exploited on cocoa farms, while some children attending Quranic schools were allegedly forced by corrupt teachers to engage in begging and seasonal agricultural work.

It further highlighted the practice of “money marriages” in some states, where families reportedly give women and girls to older men in forced marriages to settle family debts.

These practices, the report noted, expose vulnerable people to abuse and restrict their freedom, particularly where poverty, weak enforcement and limited access to protection services create opportunities for exploitation.

Nigeria Records More Investigations and Convictions

Despite the concerns raised, the report acknowledged improvements in Nigeria’s efforts to investigate and prosecute human trafficking cases.

According to the document, Nigerian authorities investigated 1,341 trafficking cases involving 1,367 suspects in 2025.

The government prosecuted 94 suspects and secured 97 convictions during the year.

These figures represented an increase from 744 investigations, 71 prosecutions and 49 convictions recorded in 2024.

The report also stated that most convicted traffickers received prison sentences of at least one year.

Nigeria equally increased its budgetary allocations for victim assistance and trafficking prevention.

In 2025, the government allocated ₦233 million, approximately $161,000, for victim services, compared with ₦128 million in the previous year.

Funding for trafficking prevention rose to ₦245 million, approximately $169,000, from ₦58.8 million in 2024.

The government also established a cybercrime unit within the Nigeria Police Force to tackle online scam operations.

According to the report, Nigerian authorities cooperated with foreign governments and INTERPOL on investigations involving criminal activities in West Africa and Southeast Asia.

The report added that the government identified 2,004 trafficking victims and coordinated the repatriation of 428 Nigerians who had been exploited abroad.

Authorities also continued implementing standard operating procedures and a National Referral Mechanism for identifying and assisting victims.

Other Anti-Trafficking Measures

The report noted that Nigeria provided restitution to 14 victims as part of criminal sentences and continued implementing its 2022–2026 National Action Plan against human trafficking.

Other measures included operating an anti-trafficking hotline, conducting public awareness campaigns and maintaining anti-trafficking task forces in 23 states.

The US acknowledged these interventions as evidence of increased government efforts, contributing to Nigeria’s continued placement on Tier 2 rather than a lower category.

However, the report indicated that more work was required to strengthen accountability, improve victim support, prevent child recruitment and address forced labour and sexual exploitation.

The findings place renewed attention on the need for stronger enforcement against trafficking networks, effective prosecution of officials suspected of involvement, improved labour protections and greater support for survivors.

While Nigeria recorded progress in investigations, prosecutions and convictions, the US report maintained that significant gaps remained in preventing trafficking and ensuring that victims received adequate protection and assistance.

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