Demographic Analysis of Child labor in Lagos Metropolis, Nigeria

Abstract

 Official data from the 2006 Nigerian population census indicate that nearly half of the Nigerian population is aged below 17 years, two-third of who are 6–17 years old. Additional evidence indicates three out of eight children in Nigeria, aged 6–17 years old, engage in child labour, and 40 percent of these are out of school.  Nigeria contributes the highest incidence of child labour globally, mostly in hazardous situations; Nigeria alone contributes to more than 25% of child labour issues in the region, and more than 5% globally. Methodology: The demographic assessment of child labour in Nigeria has been reported only poorly. This study examines the correlation between family size, sibling composition, birth order and child labour activities in the Lagos metropolis, Nigeria’s commercial capital city, West Africa’s commercial capital, and Africa’s most populated urban area. In a cross-sectional survey that involved a four-stage sampling technique, 400 respondents, aged 6-17 years old, took part in the survey. Results: Descriptive statistics and analysis of variance (ANOVA) tools were used to analyse the variables. Findings show a correlation between family size, sibling composition and birth order and child labour. Conclusion: The study draws insights from the failings of extant government policies on family planning and public orientation programs. In particular, a large family size could be detrimental to the economic well-being of children.