ECOWAS deepens fight against human trafficking, related crimes
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has reaffirmed its commitment to intensifying the fight against human trafficking and related crimes across the region as member states convene for the 17th Annual Review Meeting of the ECOWAS Regional Network of National Focal Institutions against Trafficking in Persons Plus (RNNI-TIP+). The five-day meeting, which opened […]
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has reaffirmed its commitment to intensifying the fight against human trafficking and related crimes across the region as member states convene for the 17th Annual Review Meeting of the ECOWAS Regional Network of National Focal Institutions against Trafficking in Persons Plus (RNNI-TIP+).
The five-day meeting, which opened in Lagos on Monday, September 1, 2025, brought together senior government officials, security agencies, regional organisations, and international partners to review progress and accelerate the implementation of the TIP+ Strategy adopted in 2024.
Dehunge Shiaka, Executive Director of Sierra Leone’s Anti-Trafficking in Persons Secretariat, highlighted the impact of ECOWAS support for member countries, noting that $35,000 had been allocated to each country for victim rehabilitation and support.
In Sierra Leone alone, the grant facilitated aid to 51 victims, including food and non-food assistance, skills acquisition, and support for small business start-ups.
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“Countries of origin, transit, and destination must work together as a team to fight trafficking in Africa,” Shiaka said. “Much of the success rests on member countries to identify victims, support them, and create community awareness to prevent trafficking while pursuing and prosecuting offenders.”
Highlighting the dual role of economic integration and security challenges, Shiaka warned that criminal networks exploit the free movement of persons within West Africa to smuggle victims across borders.
“It is for member countries to see this as a challenge, identify these smugglers, dismantle their networks, and track their finances to prevent further exploitation,” he said.
Josiah Emerole, Director of Intelligence, Research and Programme Development at Nigeria’s National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), placed human trafficking in a historical context, describing it as “modern-day slavery” and a global crime that has resurged in new forms despite the abolition of traditional slavery.
He explained that Nigeria’s legal framework, established through the Trafficking in Persons Prohibition Law Enforcement Administration Act of 2003, has positioned the country as a regional leader in combating trafficking.
“Many West African countries are simultaneously countries of origin, transit, and destination for trafficking,” Emerole said. “In Mali alone, an estimated 20,000 Nigerian young women are being exploited. Through coordinated efforts with other countries, we ensure that victims are treated according to international protocols and traffickers are prosecuted.”
International partners, including Isabelle Wolfsgruber, Head of Mission for the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) in Nigeria, emphasised the need for continuous regional collaboration.
She noted that ICMPD has supported ECOWAS with the annual review meeting for over a decade, primarily through EU funding, and highlighted the importance of staying ahead of well-organised transnational trafficking networks.
“The adoption of the ECOWAS TIP+ framework has been a major step forward,” Wolfsgruber said. “It addresses related crimes that make people vulnerable to trafficking, allowing intervention before exploitation occurs.
“Progress is being made across several member states, and this meeting provides an opportunity to strengthen regional coordination and share best practices.”