The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons and the Next2None Support Initiative have launched an eight-year campaign to prevent human trafficking by using fashion, sports, entertainment and vocational training to reach vulnerable young Nigerians.
The initiative, tagged “Threads of Resilience: Fashion for Freedom,” is expected to combine anti-trafficking education with skills development and survivor rehabilitation across the country.
The organisations announced the partnership in a joint statement on Sunday, following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on August 27, 2026.
The programme, which will run from 2026 to 2034, is targeting an initial 6,000 young people annually and plans to train about 1,000 participants in each of Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
The organisers said the campaign would culminate in an annual Global Fashion for Freedom event in Abuja, with its international launch scheduled for the second quarter of 2027.
The Director-General of Next2None Support Initiative, Mr Sam Obu, said the nature of human trafficking had changed significantly, with traffickers increasingly exploiting social media, fake job offers, fraudulent migration schemes and online relationships.
He said the campaign was designed to tackle some of the conditions that make young people vulnerable to exploitation.
“Human trafficking is no longer just a law enforcement challenge; it is a crisis of poverty, unemployment, and lack of opportunity.”
Obu said the initiative would go beyond rescuing trafficking victims by creating opportunities that could help vulnerable people avoid exploitation in the first place.
“‘Threads of Resilience’ addresses this by moving beyond mere rescue. We are creating a sustainable, Nigerian-led international movement that uses creativity, sports, and education to establish pathways to absolute freedom and economic dignity.”
The programme will focus on three areas — prevention, empowerment and rebuilding.
Under prevention, the partners plan to take anti-trafficking messages to schools and communities through fashion campaigns, digital advocacy and other awareness programmes.
The campaign will also educate young people on online safety and the tactics used by traffickers to lure victims.
The empowerment component will provide practical training in fashion design, textile production, leather making, garment care and other vocational areas.
Participants will also be exposed to digital skills, e-commerce, financial literacy and branding.
The organisers said the aim was to help young people develop productive skills and reduce their vulnerability to trafficking and exploitation.
For survivors, internally displaced persons and returnees, the programme will provide rehabilitation, mentorship and mental health and psychosocial support.
The campaign will also use the popularity of fashion, Nollywood and sports to reach wider audiences.
According to the organisers, emerging designers and trafficking survivors will be encouraged to produce and showcase fashion collections carrying messages of healing, freedom and resilience.
They said discussions were being pursued with major international fashion brands, including Gucci, Balenciaga, Versace and Hugo Boss.
The project also plans to work with Nollywood and international filmmakers to produce anti-trafficking films, documentaries and awareness skits.
Young people will equally be trained in film production as part of the programme.
Sports will form another major part of the campaign, with the organisers seeking partnerships with international sporting bodies.
The statement said discussions were being pursued with FIFA for football initiatives, the International Handball Federation for handball tournaments and the NBA for athlete ambassadors and sports clinics.
The organisers said NAPTIP would provide government leadership and technical support, while Next2None would drive implementation.
The programme will also have a monitoring and evaluation system to measure its impact, including employment outcomes, survivor rehabilitation and funds mobilised.
The Director-General of NAPTIP, Binta Lami Adamu Bello, and the agency’s Director of Legal and Prosecution, Mrs Ijeoma Amugo, were among those who signed the MoU on behalf of NAPTIP.
Obu and Mr Frank Nwala signed for Next2None Support Initiative.
The partners are now expected to begin wider stakeholder mobilisation and international engagement ahead of the planned 2027 global launch.
Calling for support for the campaign, the organisers urged corporate organisations, international development agencies, foundations, philanthropists, volunteers, brand ambassadors and foreign missions to join the initiative.
“Together, we can use creativity to educate, skills to empower, and partnerships to rebuild lives,” the organisers said.
