By Matthew Johnson The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) have called for stronger collaboration among aviation stakeholders to prevent human trafficking through Nigerian airports. The call was made on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, at a three-day awareness and sensitisation workshop for aviation stakeholders in Lagos. The workshop aimed to strengthen the implementation of the Trafficking in Persons (Control of Activities of Organisations and Centres) Regulations, 2019, and improve inter-agency cooperation in the fight against human trafficking. Speaking at the workshop, NAPTIP’s Director of Intelligence in charge of Research and Programme Development, Mr Josiah Emerole, who represented the agency’s Director-General, Binta Bello, said many stakeholders operating at airports did not fully understand their responsibilities under existing anti-trafficking laws. Emerole said the workshop was organised to equip airport personnel, labour recruiters, civil society organisations and other migration-sector actors with the knowledge needed to identify suspected trafficking victims and report suspicious activities. He explained that traffickers often presented their victims as ordinary passengers with apparently valid travel documents, making it necessary for frontline personnel to look beyond documentation and examine the circumstances surrounding their journeys. According to him, officers should be alert to inconsistencies in passengers’ travel plans, financial circumstances, destinations and explanations for travelling, as these could indicate possible exploitation. He said, “It is not just about looking at the person’s documents. It is a question of talking to the person, using some psychological and emotional strategies for the person to tell the truth.” Emerole noted that some victims were unaware of the exploitation awaiting them at their destinations, adding that timely intervention by airport personnel could prevent them from falling into the hands of traffickers. He said that although traffickers continued to exploit international airports, increased surveillance and awareness had contributed to a reduction in the use of Nigerian airports by some criminal networks, forcing them to explore alternative routes through other countries. He, however, stressed the need for sustained training and stronger cooperation among agencies to close existing gaps. Emerole disclosed that NAPTIP would establish a working group involving relevant stakeholders to coordinate activities and monitor progress through reports from agencies operating at different airports and other relevant data. He said, “I will say immigration officers, aviation personnel, labour recruiters and other stakeholders should understand their responsibilities under the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition), Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015, and the 2019 regulations.” Also speaking, the Project Manager at ICMPD, Mr Matthias Esene, said the organisation was supporting Nigeria and other West African countries in strengthening migration management and preventing trafficking while protecting the right to freedom of movement. Esene, who represented the head of the organisation’s Nigeria office, said the workshop was supported through regional migration initiatives, including the Free Movement of Persons and Migration project, organised by ICMPD in collaboration with NAPTIP and funded by the European Union and the Kingdom of Denmark. He explained that ICMPD worked with government institutions and civil society organisations to improve their capacity to respond to migration-related challenges and strengthen cooperation among agencies responsible for protecting migrants. According to him, the 2019 regulations provide a framework for identifying trafficking-related indicators, referring suspected victims to appropriate services and providing psychosocial support. He said the challenge was to ensure that stakeholders understood and implemented the provisions effectively, particularly those relating to their individual responsibilities and cooperation with other agencies. He added that frontline officials were responsible for identifying vulnerable persons and suspected trafficking victims without unnecessarily restricting the movement of legitimate travellers. “Freedom of movement remains a right under the ECOWAS Protocol. Efforts to prevent trafficking should not undermine legitimate migration. “Freedom of movement is a right. Human trafficking is not something we appreciate,” Esene said. In his remarks, the ECOWAS Commission’s expert on anti-trafficking in persons and migration, Mr Osandu Ekeh, said trafficking remained a significant challenge in Nigeria and
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