1.4m Nigerians trapped in modern slavery – minister 

The Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, has revealed that an alarming 1.4 million Nigerians are currently trapped in modern slavery. Speaking as the Special Guest Speaker at the 2025 annual academic summit at the University of Abuja yesterday, the minister expressed deep concern, noting that women and girls make up the majority of the victims.
Referencing the Global Slavery Index (2023), Sulaiman-Ibrahim pointed out that Nigeria is ranked among the top 10 countries with the highest number of trafficked individuals.
In a statement issued by the Minister’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Jonathan Eze, the minister highlighted various statistics that, according to her, fail to fully capture the vast potential Nigeria possesses.
He said: “Over 60 per cent of Nigerians attempting to migrate irregularly are women and girls, many of whom are trafficked for forced labour or sexual exploitation.
“Reports indicate that over 50,000 Nigerian women are trapped in forced prostitution across Europe, particularly in Italy and Spain.
“The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) estimates that more than 80 per cent of Nigerian women, who arrive in Europe through irregular routes are potential trafficking victims.”
The minister noted that the fight against illegal migration and girl-child trafficking was a fight for the soul of the nation, saying: “If we fail to act decisively, we risk losing an entire generation of young women to exploitation, violence and despair.”
“We are working with lawmakers to review and enhance protection laws for women and children, to close existing loopholes. I recently inaugurated a Committee to review the Child Rights Act of 2003”.
Earlier, the Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Aisha Sani Maikudi; the convener, Prof. Mutiullah Olasupo; former Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari; and others kicked off the event by urging students to dedicate themselves to their studies and focus on building a promising future.