This policy brief presents a focused analysis of the pressing issue of child labour within Nigeria’s extractive sector, particularly the solid minerals industry. Developed by Centre LSD with the support of the Ford Foundation, the brief underscores the widespread involvement of children in hazardous mining activities, despite national and international legal prohibitions.

Led by legal and research experts, the document examines how socio-economic hardship, weak enforcement mechanisms, and informal mining structures contribute to the prevalence of child labour. It highlights the health, safety, and developmental risks faced by children working in mining environments and critiques the gaps in Nigeria's legislative and institutional responses.

The brief also identifies cultural normalization of child labour in some communities, limited education access, and the lack of targeted interventions as key obstacles. Drawing from field research and legal analysis, it makes a compelling case for urgent policy attention, public sensitization, and systemic reform.

Recommendations include strengthening enforcement of child protection laws, implementing child-labour-sensitive mining policies, enhancing community-based monitoring systems, and ensuring inter-agency coordination to eliminate child labour practices.

This publication is both a call to action and a practical guide for policymakers, civil society actors, community leaders, and extractive industry stakeholders committed to protecting children’s rights and promoting ethical, inclusive development.