Javier Leon, deputy team leader at FIAP, has urged Nigeria to give greater recognition to the work of civil society organisations in combating human trafficking, saying official statistics must reflect the efforts of those working directly with victims.
Speaking on Thursday at the public presentation of the 2025 United States Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report, Leon encouraged the Network Against Child Trafficking, Abuse and Labour (NACTAL) and other civil society organisations to sustain their work, stressing that the fight against trafficking was about human lives, not just figures.
“Because behind every number there is a person,” he said, citing children forced into labour, women trapped in exploitation and families waiting for missing relatives.
Leon questioned whether the work of organisations on the ground was adequately documented and whether the experiences of victims were reflected in Nigeria’s response to trafficking.
He called for greater cooperation among government agencies, international partners and civil society, saying no single group could tackle the problem alone.
“Governments cannot do it alone. International partners cannot do it alone. And civil society cannot be expected to carry this responsibility alone,” he said.
Leon urged participants to use the review of the report to share evidence and recommendations, adding that the contributions of civil society organisations should inform policies and efforts to protect vulnerable people.
NACTAL President Osita Osemene also called for more inclusive reporting of human trafficking and migration issues, warning that failure to capture the contributions of stakeholders could undermine the accuracy of data and coordination among organisations.
“The fight against human trafficking is a collective responsibility; everyone must be involved to ensure that it is won,” Osemene said.
Osemene, who is also the director of Patriotic Citizen Initiatives, said his administration would build on existing structures to ensure continuity following his assumption of office.
He said NACTAL aimed to increase its membership from about 200 organisations to 1,000 within a year and pledged to strengthen member organisations’ capacity to handle trafficking cases, improve child protection and expand prevention efforts.
“In this fight, numbers matter, as when we have more organisations working together, we would have more results,” he said.
Former NACTAL President Abdulganiyu Abubakar said a committee established after the release of the 2025 TIP Report found that the contributions of the Nigerian government, development partners and civil society organisations were not adequately reflected.
He said the gaps identified included efforts to provide shelters and rehabilitate trafficking victims, government policy progress, the contributions of NACTAL member organisations and Nigeria’s work across West Africa.
“Yes, there may be some issues which we acknowledge, but our efforts should be adequately captured,” Abubakar said.
A report documenting the activities of NACTAL member organisations in 2025 was compiled and published with support from FIAP under its Migration Governance Component 3 project, funded by the European Union