Nigeria, Spain Boost Partnership Against Human Trafficking

Nigeria and Spain are deepening their collaboration to combat human trafficking and migrant smuggling, marked by the launch of a four-day capacity-building workshop in Abuja. The training brings together prosecutors, investigators, and intelligence officers from Nigeria's Immigration Service, Police Force, and the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP).

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Criminal networks operate across borders and our response must do the same. Together, we must build stronger institutions and a better future for our countries.

The initiative is part of the EU-funded "Support to Migration Governance in Nigeria, Component 3" project, implemented by the Spanish government and supported by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). Organized by the Spanish public foundation FIAP Nigeria, the workshop focuses on "Strengthening Transnational Investigative Cooperation."

Javier Leon, FIAP Project Team Director, emphasized that despite geographical distance, both nations face shared migration routes and security challenges, necessitating joint efforts to protect vulnerable individuals from criminal networks. He highlighted years of cooperation through intelligence sharing and joint investigations, stating the workshop will foster professional relationships and enhance international cooperation against transnational organized crime.

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Nigeria and Spain have built a strong partnership in tackling human trafficking and migrant smuggling based on a shared commitment to protecting human dignity.

Luis Puig, Interior Attaché at the Spanish Embassy, affirmed the strong partnership built on a shared commitment to human dignity. He urged participants to actively engage, exchange experiences, and maximize the training's opportunities to bolster their investigative capabilities. Cayetana Bellisco, FIAP Project Officer, explained that FIAP promotes peer-to-peer cooperation, enabling public institutions to share knowledge and solutions to common challenges, with Spanish and Nigerian experts collaborating over the four days.

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experts from Spain and Nigeria would work together over the next four days to strengthen investigative skills and build lasting institutional partnerships.