Child trafficking and illegal migration in Nigeria is mainly to Europe especially for forced

labour and prostitution such as Belgium, Italy and Spain. Also, children from countries such
as Togo and Benin are trafficked to Nigeria for forced labour. More than 12million children
are engaged in forced labour in Nigeria.

In every year, thousands of Nigerians seeks refuge and asylum, and some also migrate
illegally, transiting through North Africa and then crossing the Mediterranean to Europe.
Poverty drives much of this movement: more than 70 percent of Nigerians live below the
national poverty line.

In 2018, UN IOM held a program in Calabar, River state Nigeria, which was tagged
‘Network Against Trafficking and Irregular Migration Established in Nigeria’. From April
2017 to date, IOM has helped 32 female and 25 male migrants return home to Cross River
from Libya.