[3] Some are taken from Nigeria to other West and Central African countries, primarily Gabon, Cameroon, Ghana, Chad, Benin, Togo, Niger, Burkina Faso, and the Gambia, for the same purposes.
[4][5] Human trafficking in Nigeria is due to population boom and unfavourable economic conditions that aggravate unemployment, underemployment and insecurity which prompt citizens to seek for better opportunities in other countries.
Police and immigration officials, including those who work at border posts and airports, at times allegedly accepted bribes to overlook trafficking crimes.
NAPTIP dismissed two staff members from public service who were found to have diverted victims' funds; they were made to refund the money back.
[3] In 2014 the Executive Director of National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic in Persons (NAPTIP), Beatrice Jedy-Agba was given in an award by John Kerry in Washington DC to recognize the work that she has been leading against trafficking in Nigeria.
[13] In March 2017, Dame Julie Okah-Donli was appointed as the Director-General of NAPTIP, and she has made giant strides in the fight against human trafficking in Nigeria.
In 2016, out of the 181,000 migrants who arrived in Italy through the Mediterranean, Nigerians accounted for 21%.≤[4] Human trafficking is a way to exploit women and children for cheap labour and prostitution as an opportunity to help themselves out of poverty.
[5] According to a report by the Vie d’Uscita (Exit Routes) project, 64% of girls trafficked to Italy are from Nigeria while the 34% are from Albania, Balkans and Romania.
[17] Nigeria has a history of economic and financial issues causing significant unemployment and poverty as well as a tradition of giving out young people from poor homes to wealthy family as domestic help.
[9] Harsh economic conditions that have increased unemployment and underemployment, a large population, political instability, insecurity and porous borders are factors that heighten this problem in Nigeria.
[20] Human trafficking in Nigeria is being tackled via programs set up by local organization such as NAPTIP's Public Enlightenment Unit that partners with Devatop Centre for Africa Development, and the Italian government that partners with the Nigerian government to lesson the significant rates of human trafficking that occurs in Italy.
[21][22] Italy not only has officers shutting down brothels in major cities, but the government has set up programs with social workers to integrate the women into society once they gain their individual independence.
Police, customs, immigration, and NAPTIP officials systematically employed procedures to identify victims among high-risk persons, such as young women or girls travelling with non-family members.
The government provided a limited legal alternative to the removal of foreign victims to countries where they face hardship or retribution – short-term residency that cannot be extended.
In 2015, they supported Devatop Centre for Africa Development to implement a pilot project: "The Academy for Prevention of Human Trafficking and Other Related Matters (TAPHOM)".
[11] 120 women, youth, educators, law enforcement, legal practitioners, media professionals, health caregivers, and community volunteers from 6 states were trained between July 2015 to May 2016.
In August 2009, NAPTIP held a stakeholders' workshop in Kaduna to set program priorities and cost estimates for implementing the National Plan of Action.
[3] In February 2020, the police managed to rescue 232 sex trafficking victims and forced labour in a major operation in Niamey, the capital.