Victims originating in Nigeria

Between 2005 and 2021, the IOM registered 5,431 victims of trafficking from Nigeria.^[1] 84 per cent of them were registered between 2018 and 2022.

Among Nigerian victims of trafficking, 84 per cent are female, and 16 per cent are male.^[2] Most victims are adults (86%), while 16 per cent are children. These victims are mainly aged from 18 to 29 years old (68%). Overall, adult female victims are younger than adult males. Males predominate among child victims (32%).

The main countries where identified Nigerian victims are exploited are Libya (32%), Mali (22%), and Nigeria (17%). Overall, Nigerian victims are exploited in Africa (87%), Europe (8%), and Asia (5%). There is a minimal difference in the proportion of Nigerian victims exploited within and outside their sub-region of origin (48% and 52%, respectively).^[3]

Victims are mostly trafficked for sexual exploitation (51%) and forced labour (50%). Other types of exploitation, like forced marriage, forced military, organ removal, and slavery and related practices, represent a combined total of 10 per cent.^[4] These victims are mainly trafficked for a year or less (47%).

For victims exploited in forced labour, the most common sector of exploitation is domestic work (82%), followed by construction and domestic work (4% each). Victims of sexual exploitation are mainly forced into prostitution.

The main means of control include psychological, physical and sexual abuse (74%), false promises (53%), and restrictions of finance, movements, medical care and necessities (49%).^[4] Most of these victims are recruited by ‘others’^[5] (95%), followed by friends and family (3% and 2%, respectively).

^[1] This country profile is based on the data collected by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in the process of providing assistance and protection services to victims of trafficking.

^[2] The IOM acknowledge diverse gender identities and expressions among trafficking victims. However, sex assigned at birth is used for this data analysis unless otherwise indicated. This is to ensure consistency with initial data collection forms, which lacked fields for diverse identities. Also, the disclosure of smaller subsets of victims with diverse gender identities increases data protection risks due to the potential identification of individual cases.

^[3] Interregional trafficking involves victims trafficked outside their region of origin, while intraregional trafficking occurs within their region of origin. For the list of regions and subregions, refer to the Global Synthetic Dataset Dictionary.

^[4] It is important to note that trafficked persons can be subjected to multiple types of exploitation and means of control, so percentages may not add up to 100.

^[5] Indicates a notable relationship with the recruiter that does not fit other categories like family or friends. This may include brokers, contractors, employers, or smugglers. See the Global Synthetic Dataset Codebook for a detailed explanation.