Even though Nigeria is a signatory to many child rights laws, agreements and international treaties, it has become a common event on the streets to see children involved in various forms of activities that could be described as labor. Such activities range from petty trading to risky jobs like riding motorcycles and repairing automobiles.

On the morning of Saturday, February 8, officers at Oki Police Station in Ibadan Nigeria rounded up about 15 children that were involved in various forms of labor-related activities. Because the children were underage, they couldn’t be arrested but were held in police custody until their respective parents came to the station.

The officer-on-duty, Sergeant Lawrence Oni chided the parents for subjecting the children to labor that is against the law of Nigeria.

Reasons for Continual Existence of Child Labor in Nigeria

Sergeant Oni later told AFKInsider that the children often have limited choices when it comes to child labor. According to him, even though most parents whose children are involved in labor-related activities have limited sources of income, the overhead and turnaround costs of sustaining the family are on the increase.

“The price of everything is going up — food, water, shelter and electricity. Parents are incurring expenses from all angles including school fees. It is no longer odd to see children supporting their parents in their trades,” the police officer said.

Corroborating the officer’s explanation, one of the parents who spoke under condition of anonymity said as a single mother, her two children were helping her in raising some funds.

“It is not that they are making much money,” she said, “but if I add the little they are making, it’s helpful.”

According to United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID), about 63 percent of Nigerians are living on less than $1 daily. A 2008 National Population Commission report also revealed that there are 4.4 people in an average Nigerian family, thus poverty is the major reason why child labor remains an acceptable norm in Nigeria.

Another reason often mentioned in support of child labor is early exposure of children to the family line of business. In Nigeria, there are families that are known for specific jobs. To ensure that the cycle is sustained, children in the family are exposed to business very early in life. Saki Ayinde, an Oyo State resident, belongs to this category of individuals who were thrown into the labor market early on.

“My mother was a trader. She sold bread at the Sango area in Ibadan until her old age. She was introduced to the business at a very tender age by her aunt. I was also born into the trade and I started selling bread at the age of six with my mom,” she said.

Children from families known for blacksmithing are learning to handle metals as hot as 1562 degrees at a very tender age. The belief is that if a child starts at an early age, such a child will become an expert in the field at a very young age. The child would also be able to accomplish a lot more than those who wait until they are old enough.