Child labour Fmle lagos

Engaging with the informal sector.

Child Labour Reporting mechanism Training with ILO @ NECA House

Congratulations to myself! At just 18 years old, I am officially the youngest female commercial pilot in my country, Nigeria 🇳🇬
They once told my mother that educating a girl child was a waste of money. Today, I am the one flying over the same village where they doubted me. I remember being a little girl, looking up at the sky every time a plane passed. I had no toys, so I folded old newspapers into paper planes, dreaming that one day I would be the one in the cockpit.
The journey was not easy. There were nights my parents skipped meals just to save for my exams. There were days I cried because the technical terms felt like mountains I couldn’t climb. Many people said, “Being a pilot is for men,” and “You are too young.”
But look at what God has done!
Today, I am not just a pilot; I am proof that your background does not define your future. I’ve gone from trekking to school on dusty roads to navigating the skies at 35,000 feet.
To every young girl out there: don’t let your dreams remain hidden. Keep pushing. If a village girl like me can achieve this at 18, you can do even more!
My wings are ready. The world is my runway. To God be the glory ❤️🙏copied blue x

Why won’t you pay my school fees. Didn’t you know that before bringing me into this world?

Child labour desk, fmle lagos celebrates every woman making an impact to the society
Happy International Women's Day ❤️❤️

A cross section with the students and lecturers from the Federal College of Fisheries & Marine Technology, Lagos. On Wednesday 4th March, 2026.

A child is meant to learn, to play, to dream, and to grow in a safe and nurturing environment. Childhood is not a time for exploitation, hardship, or forced responsibility. When children are denied education, exposed to labour, abuse, or neglect, we rob them of their potential and weaken the future of our society.

Protecting childhood means:
• Ensuring access to quality education.
• Providing proper healthcare and nutrition.
• Shielding children from child labour, trafficking, and abuse.
• Creating safe homes and supportive communities.
• Promoting policies that put children’s rights first.

When children are protected, they grow into confident, skilled, and responsible adults. They become teachers, doctors, leaders, entrepreneurs, and change-makers. They contribute meaningfully to economic growth and social stability. But when childhood is destroyed, the effects ripple through generations — poverty continues, crime increases, and development is slowed.

As we work toward eliminating child labour and other forms of exploitation, especially in our communities, we must remember that every child we protect today becomes a pillar of strength tomorrow. Investing in children is not charity — it is a strategic investment in national development.

A dignified tomorrow begins with the choices we make today. Let us choose to defend the rights of every child. Let us choose education over exploitation. Let us choose protection over neglect.