Public Opinion is Clear: Urgent Legislation Required to Protect Children from Sexual Exploitation! Read the story

Members

Women’s Consortium of Nigeria (WOCON)

The Women’s Consortium of Nigeria (WOCON) is a non-governmental, non-profit, non-partisan and non-religious organisation committed to the enforcement of women’s and children’s rights and the attainment of equality, development and peace. WOCON focuses on combating the trafficking of women and children, particularly through advocacy, research and direct action programmes on child trafficking.

Action Against Child Sexual Abuse Initiative (ACSAI)

The Action Against Child Sexual Abuse Initiative is a women-led organization founded in 2016, dedicated to combating violence against women and children. As an INHOPE hotline, they facilitate the reporting and removal of child sexual abuse material and are key players in the fight against Online Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (OCSEA) in Nigeria. They are also actively involved in ongoing efforts, supported by UNICEF Nigeria, to drive policy initiatives on OCSEA. This includes strengthening institutional capacities and promoting education through sensitization and awareness programs.

Facts

Reportedly, the Islamic extremist group Boko Haram has uprooted more than 1.3 million of children since April 2014. Child prisoners are subjected to sexual exploitation, abuse, forced marriages and recruitment by armed groups.

Nigeria is a source, transit, and destination country for children trafficked for labour and sexual purposes. Nigerian girls are subjected to sex trafficking throughout Europe. Children are also transported to North Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia, where they are held captive in the commercial sex industry or forced labour.

In May 2015, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria passed the Cybercrime Prohibition and Prevention Act 2015 into law. It specifically criminalises child pornography and related offences.

Resources

ECPAT International
Nigeria — Country Overview

Year: 2024

Download
ECPAT International
Nigeria – Country Monitoring Report

Year: 2014

Indicators

Age of Consent

Partial

Age of sexual consent is 18 years. The national legislation does not provide for a close-in-age exemption.

Analysis of country legislation on age of sexual consent, 2024

Extraterritoriality & Extradition

Partial

Neither active nor passive extraterritoriality is recognised for SEC related offences under the Criminal Code Act.

Under Section 20 of the Extradition Act, SEC related offences can be considered extraditable if punished in both the requesting State and Nigeria with at least two years of imprisonment (this includes all SEC related offences in the Criminal Code Act). Double criminality is required. These extradition rules only apply to Commonwealth countries or countries that have an extradition treaty or agreement with Nigeria. Regional extradition agreements, (the ECOWAS Extradition Treaty (article 3) and the Extradition Treaty among Benin, Ghana, Nigeria and Togo (Article 2). establish a minimum gravity of two years of imprisonment for offences to be extraditable and require double criminality.

Criminal Code Act of Nigeria, Extradition Act, ECOWAS Extradition Treaty, Extradition Treaty among Benin, Ghana, Nigeria and Togo (p. 192), 1990 (status as of 2019), 2004 (status as of 2018),1994, 1984

CSAM Definition

Not Yet Assessed

Background Check Required

Not Yet Assessed

National Commitments

Not Yet Assessed

Child Advocacy Centers

Not Yet Assessed

SEC Police Unit

Not Yet Assessed

Protection Standards Travel and Tourism

Not Yet Assessed

Public SEC Case Data

Not Yet Assessed