Executing the National Action Plan on Human Trafficking in Nigeria (2022-2026) funded by the Government of Switzerland marks a transition from policy formulation to active implementation. Spanning from August 2023 to July 2025, this initiative stems from an agreement between the Swiss Confederation, represented by the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), aimed at fortifying Nigeria's response to human trafficking.
This endeavour follows the prior project titled "Strengthening the policy framework and response to human trafficking in Nigeria" (01.01.2020 – 31.12.2021), which was funded by Switzerland. In its initial phase, this project facilitated the completion of a comprehensive baseline report in September 2020, assessing the status of human trafficking and the national response in Nigeria. Subsequently, it contributed to the development of the second National Action Plan against trafficking in Persons 2022-2026 (NAP), officially launched by NAPTIP in April 2022.
The NAP (2022-2026) serves as a strategic national initiative to combat human trafficking in Nigeria, outlining clear objectives to guide stakeholders in aligning their efforts effectively. Its implementation is anticipated to garner significant compliance from state actors due to its critical importance.
The ongoing phase II of the project, commencing in August 2023, focuses on supporting the implementation of the National Action Plan. UNODC's role involves providing technical assistance to NAPTIP, aiming to achieve several objectives, including:
Enhancing the existing coordination system established by the NAP by organizing regular stakeholder consultative forums and policy-level meetings.
Standardizing data collection, monitoring, analysis, and reporting related to the NAP through the establishment of a reporting framework and the inauguration of a national report hub.
Strengthening the capacities of pertinent stakeholders to effectively implement the NAP through specialized capacity-building training programs.