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The Honourable Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Imaan Suleiman-Ibrahim, has called for collective action to combat human trafficking, emphasizing that education holds the key to breaking the cycle of trafficking and illegal migration. Speaking at the University of Abuja’s Faculty of Social Sciences 2025 Annual Academic Summit, Suleiman-Ibrahim stressed the importance of quality and functional university education in equipping young girls with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to make informed choices about their futures.

“Education remains the most powerful tool in equipping young girls with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to make informed choices about their futures,” she said. “Quality and functional university education must go beyond theory and be practical, relevant, and empowering.”

Suleiman-Ibrahim highlighted the alarming statistics surrounding human trafficking in Nigeria, noting that an estimated 1.4 million Nigerians are victims of modern slavery, with women and girls making up the majority. “Nigeria is one of the main source, transit, and destination countries for human trafficking in Africa,” she added.

The Minister emphasized that human trafficking does not happen in a vacuum, citing factors such as poverty and economic hardship, lack of education and skills, cultural and gender norms, and weak law enforcement as contributing to the vulnerabilities of Nigerian girls.

Suleiman-Ibrahim called for a collective effort to combat human trafficking, urging universities and higher institutions to integrate human trafficking awareness and migration literacy into their curricula. She also emphasized the need for students and youth organizations to champion peer education and advocacy, and for religious and traditional leaders to speak out against cultural norms that perpetuate trafficking.

“The fight against illegal migration and girl-child trafficking is a fight for the soul of our nation,” she said. “If we fail to act decisively, we risk losing an entire generation of young women to exploitation, violence, and despair.”

As the Minister of Women Affairs, Suleiman-Ibrahim pledged to advance initiatives that promote education, skills development, and economic empowerment to prevent vulnerable girls from falling into the hands of traffickers. She noted that the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs has developed a Strategic Roadmap to address these challenges, which includes strengthening legal frameworks, expanding safe spaces, enhancing economic opportunities, and providing community support programs.

In conclusion, Suleiman-Ibrahim envisioned a Nigeria where every girl has access to quality education, every young woman can chase her dreams without fear, and the dignity and rights of all citizens are upheld and protected. “Let me leave you with this thought: Imagine a Nigeria where every girl has access to quality education, where every young woman can chase her dreams without fear, and where the dignity and rights of all citizens – regardless of gender – are upheld and protected. This is the Nigeria we must build, and this is the Nigeria we will build – together.”

This post has already been read at least 1119 times!