UNODC:Strengthening evidence-based response to trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants in Nigeria (2020-2022)

The “Strengthening evidence-based response to trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants in Nigeria” project supported by the Government of Canada and implemented by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) commenced in April 2020. The overall goal of the project is to strengthen evidence-based policies, law enforcement strategies and intelligence-led investigations against trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants in Nigeria.

In the last two decades Nigeria has made considerable efforts to prevent human trafficking and irregular migration. Yet, the issue remains a topic of concern for the country, as well as for transit and destination countries in Africa, Europe and the Middle East. The scarcity of reliable data on the patterns and scope of trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants as well as an outdated strategic framework constitute important challenges in developing an effective response.

To tackle these issues, the project will support the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) and the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) in gathering the necessary data and information, and conducting relevant analyses in support of evidence-based policies, law enforcement strategies and intelligence-led investigations.

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More specifically, the project will support the conduct of a threat assessment of human trafficking, and related organized crime in Nigeria, using UNODC threat assessment methodology. The project will also gather specific data on migrant smuggling under the UN Observatory on Smuggling of Migrants in Nigeria.

Furthermore, the project will provide NAPTIP, NIS and other partners capacity building trainings on research, data collection and analysis in the field of trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants, and provide specific capacity building activities to strengthen the cooperation of both agencies in data and intelligence and information sharing.