Federal Government Reviews Labour Standard Bill to Address Child Labour

Abuja— The Federal Government announced on Thursday an ongoing review of the Labour Standard Bill, focusing on integrating child labour provisions and proposing the adoption of 15 years as the minimum age for work or employment.
Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, highlighted the pervasive issue of child labour during the third edition of the National Children Conference in Abuja.
The conference was organized to commemorate the 2024 World Day Against Child Labour, themed “Let’s Act on our Commitments to End Child Labour.”
Onyejeocha expressed deep concern about the widespread issue of child labour, stating, “About 25 million adults and children are in forced labour, including in global supply chains. It is a global menace that has the potential to hinder the development of children, leading to lifelong physical and psychological damage, and keeping children out of school, thereby perpetuating poverty across generations.”
She called on all stakeholders to actively participate in combating child labour and protecting the rights of citizens, noting that current global statistics reveal 160 million children, nearly one in ten worldwide, are engaged in child labour.
Onyejeocha also emphasized Nigeria’s progress in ratifying the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Conventions 138 and 182, which address the minimum age for work and the worst forms of child labour, respectively.
Vanessa Phala, the Country Director of the ILO to Nigeria, represented by ILO Project Coordinator on Child Labour Agatha Kolawole, urged children to join the advocacy and campaign against child labour.
Phala emphasized the urgency of passing the Labour Standard Bill, stating that its swift passage would significantly contribute to the eradication of child labour in the country.
Mrs. Olaitan Olaolu, Director of the Inspectorate Department at the Ministry of Labour and Employment, also spoke at the event, underscoring the conference’s timely relevance to the nation’s efforts to eliminate child labour.