In the bustling streets of Lagos, young girls can be seen weaving between traffic with trays of goods balanced on their heads. Despite Lagos State’s ban on street trading and hawking under the Street Trading and Illegal Market Prohibition Law 2003, the practice persists  exposing minors, especially girls, to abuse, accidents, and exploitation.

This is not a real person but an AI generated image for illustration purpose.

“I Was Just 13” – Barakat’s Story

Barakat (not her real name) recalled her time as a teenage hawker. “I was just 13 when I started hawking. I carried pure water and groundnuts around Ayobo-Ipaja. Men would sometimes call me, touch me, and make promises. It was frightening, but I could not stop because my family depended on me.”

Her mother explained the desperation behind sending Barakat to the streets. “I didn’t like it, but we had no choice. There was no money for food or school. I know the dangers, but survival pushed us there.”

Their story mirrors that of thousands of underage girls across Lagos who, out of poverty, become trapped in street trading often at great personal risk.

Law Versus Reality

The Lagos State Street Trading and Illegal Market Prohibition Law 2003 clearly criminalises street hawking, prescribing fines of ₦90,000 or imprisonment for offenders. Yet, data shows enforcement remains weak.

According to Lagos Bureau of Statistics (2022), over 1.5 million children in Lagos are engaged in child labour, with a significant proportion in informal street trading. UNICEF reports further warn that Nigerian girls in urban centres are particularly vulnerable to sexual exploitation during hawking.

Council Unit Interventions

A senior official at the Lagos Child Protection Unit, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed that cases of child labour were routinely handled at the council level.

“We handle cases of child labour within the council. For those we can’t handle, especially cases involving rape or sexual assault linked to street trading, we transfer to the police for proper prosecution. For remorseful parents, we focus on education and sensitisation about the dangers of street trading for underage girls.”

She added that the Lagos State House of Assembly, through local council chairmen, had been supportive in budget allocations. “Every year we organise an empowerment programme for teenagers called ‘Speed Up Lagos’ with skills training in tailoring, hairdressing, catering, nylon production, and event management. At the end, participants receive certificates and working tools.”

Advocacy and Empowerment

Civil society organisations have stepped in to fill the gap left by weak enforcement. Ambassador Motunrayo Mariam Williams-Johnson, convener of Kami Foundation, said her organisation has been at the forefront of protecting vulnerable girls.

Ambassador Motunrayo Mariam Williams-Johnson, convener of Kami Foundation.

“We cannot allow poverty to keep forcing our girls into unsafe conditions. Street trading is not just an economic issue; it is a human rights violation. We need to ensure that every girl child in Lagos is safe, educated, and empowered.”

Calls for Stronger Action

Women’s rights advocates experts stress that government must combine enforcement with education. They noted that while bans exist, addressing root causes like poverty, unemployment, and lack of access to education is key.

The Bigger Picture

Street trading may appear like a survival strategy for families, but for many girls it means missing out on education, facing sexual harassment, and being exposed to dangerous environments.

As Barakat puts it, “I don’t want my younger sisters to hawk like I did. It is not life for a child.”

Until Lagos fully enforces existing laws, strengthens social safety nets, and prioritises empowerment programmes, thousands of underage girls remain at risk in Nigeria’s busiest city.

The above report was submitted in reference to Africa Young Media Professional Women in Journalism Reporting training attended by our correspondent.

…..Faith Leaders Must Go Beyond Prosperity Preaching.

The Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Lagos State Council has called for urgent collective action to protect children from abuse, urging religious leaders, lawmakers, and communities to break the silence around child exploitation.

The appeal was made at the Chapel’s special symposium on child abuse, themed “Breaking the Silence: Strengthening Child Protection in Nigeria”, held as part of its 2025 Press Week in Lagos.

Delivering the keynote address on behalf of His Eminence, Primate Elijah Ayodele Babatunde, Founder of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Prof. Rosemary Isibor urged churches and faith-based organisations to shift focus from prosperity preaching to child protection.

“The church must go under the bridges and into communities, not remain confined within its walls. Sermons should not only focus on making money, buying cars, or travelling abroad. Abuse prevention must be part of regular messages in our churches,” she said.

Prof. Isibor also challenged faith leaders to abandon dangerous rhetoric about “killing enemies.”

“Even Jesus was killed by enemies, yet He never preached about killing them,” she added.

She stressed that survivors of abuse must never be silenced:

“We must create safe spaces for children and survivors to speak out. It is wrong to tell victims that reporting abuse will bring shame to their families. Silence only protects the abuser.”

Legal Disconnect Between Law and Reality

Guest speaker, Barr. Osegie Queen Oniwon, Esq., described the state of child rights enforcement in Nigeria as a “legal disconnect.”

She noted that while Nigeria has ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and domesticated it through the Child Rights Act, enforcement remains patchy and weak.

“Our constitution guarantees life, dignity, and freedom from discrimination, but the problem is weak enforcement agencies — the police, judiciary, and social workers,” Oniwon explained.

She warned that children are still detained in adult prisons due to poor juvenile justice systems, while poverty and cultural practices continue to drive child labour and underage marriage.

“Poverty forces many into child labour and street begging disguised as religious practice. Gender discrimination against girls and abuse in religious settings continue unchecked,” she said.

Her recommendations included:

Strengthening enforcement of existing child protection laws.

Expanding social safety nets and scholarship programmes.

Making education free from primary to tertiary levels.

Restoring community-based child support systems.

Creating platforms for children to participate in governance through assemblies and parliaments.

“Nothing is a secret. Children must speak up about abuse, and society must collectively demand implementation of existing laws,” she concluded.

Root Causes: Silence, Stigma, and Harmful Traditions

The panel discussion, moderated by Fanayajo Ranti, highlighted the deep cultural and systemic roots of child abuse in Nigeria.

Panelists including Comrade Abraham Akpan, Prof. Rosemary Isibor, Comrade Rabiu Idris, Comrade Osiris Chinonye, Mrs. Victoria Fawi, and Barr. Osegie Queen Oniwon identified physical violence, sexual exploitation, child labour, early marriage, and neglect as the most common forms of abuse.

They pointed to generational cycles of violence, gender stereotypes, and distorted religious teachings as enablers of abuse.

“Child abuse has always existed in Nigeria, but today it is more visible because people now have phones, cameras, and social media to expose it,” one panelist observed.

The panel warned that fear of stigma, threats, and intimidation often prevent victims from reporting abuse. In many cases, harmful practices are normalised as “discipline” or “tradition.”

Collective Call to Action

Closing the event, Comrade Abraham Akpabio, Chairman of the NUJ Correspondents’ Chapel, urged Nigerians to confront the reality of abuse with courage.

“We must amplify this campaign for a Nigeria where every child is safe, heard, and protected. It is our duty as journalists, leaders, and citizens to confront these realities and work together for change,” Akpabio said.

The symposium, which drew participants from the media, civil society, religious organisations, and the legal sector, was put together by Amb. Oluwapelumi Oluwayomi of Societal Concerns, while Titilayo Ilebani delivered the vote of thanks.

The Nigerian Transparency Initiative (NTI) has urged the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Bayo Ojulari, to openly respond to corruption allegations raised against him.

In a statement issued in Abuja on Thursday, NTI Coordinator, Muyiwa Salami, said the allegations, which have circulated for months, are too significant to be ignored. He stressed that failure to provide a clear response would only deepen public suspicion.

“We call on Mr. Bayo Ojulari to answer these allegations in clear terms. Failure to do so will only suggest that there is something to hide,” Salami said.

Concerns Over Public Confidence

The NTI argued that the controversies surrounding Ojulari’s leadership threaten both the reputation of the NNPCL and wider public trust in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.

According to Salami, the credibility of the national oil company depends on transparency and accountability, particularly given its role in managing billions of naira in public resources.

“It is in Ojulari’s own interest and in the interest of the Nigerian people that he speaks up. Transparency is the only way to clear the air and preserve the integrity of his office,” the statement added.

Mixed Reactions to Allegations

While some groups have dismissed the allegations as politically motivated blackmail by vested interests, NTI said the consistency and scale of the reports demand a formal response.

The group noted that keeping quiet risks undermining public confidence in the NNPCL, which has already faced long-standing concerns about governance, accountability, and corruption within Nigeria’s oil sector.

Call for Stronger Investigations

The NTI further called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other relevant authorities to intensify investigations into the matter.

It emphasized that Nigerians deserve transparency on issues involving public funds, especially in a sector central to the country’s economy.