Nigeria: Children Working in Riverine Communities in Nigeria
.jpg)
In 2006 under commission from OCFT, ICF collected and analyzed qualitative and quantitative data on child work in the riverine communities of Lagos State, Nigeria with the assistance of the Nigerian Office of Research Marketing Services Limited (RMS). Data collection focused on children aged 5 to 17 and their families. The study identified the extent and nature of child involvement in education and work and provides information on the characteristics of the riverine communities studied, family members' perceptions of children's work within the communities, and the effect of work on children's education.
The study collected background information on the population and sector of interest by interviewing stakeholders in Lagos State and Abuja, including government officials, non-governmental organization (NGO) professionals, and academics. The second phase involved a household survey with a module focused on all household members as well as a specific working child module. The survey was conducted in a sample of riverine communities. For the purposes of this study, "riverine community" refers to communities on the water, where most families in the community engage in fishing activities. The sample frame of riverine communities was developed using geographic information system data sources, and 480 households were sampled within these communities. Finally, this study also included systematic observations of children in the act of working and of the communities selected for the study. The study estimated that 10,498 children in the riverine communities of Lagos State worked in the week preceding the survey.
For more information on ILAB's work in Nigeria, please visit https://www.dol.gov/ilab/map/countries/nigeria.htm.
