BY Onyekachukwu Utebor, Warri
Next2None Support Initiative, a non-governmental organisation, and the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to launch Africa’s first international fashion-for-social-impact campaign against human trafficking.
Tagged “Threads of Resilience: Fashion for Freedom,” the initiative will bring together fashion, film and sports to prevent human trafficking, empower young people and restore dignity to survivors.
The MoU was signed on August 27, 2026, by NAPTIP Director-General, Binta Lami Adamu Bello, Director of Legal and Prosecution, Mrs Ijeoma Amugo, and Director-General of Next2None Support Initiative, Mr Sam Obu, popularly known as Chukky, alongside Mr Frank Nwala.
According to a statement issued by Obu and Nwala, the eight-year programme, running from 2026 to 2034, will initially reach 6,000 young Nigerians annually, with plans to train about 1,000 participants in each of the six geopolitical zones.
The programme will run throughout the year and culminate in an annual Global Fashion for Freedom event in Abuja, with the global launch scheduled for the second quarter of 2027.
Obu said human trafficking had evolved, with criminals increasingly exploiting social media, fake job advertisements, fraudulent migration schemes and online relationships to target vulnerable people.
“Human trafficking is no longer just a law enforcement challenge; it is a crisis of poverty, unemployment, and lack of opportunity,” he said.
He added that the initiative would go beyond rescue by using creativity, sports and education to create sustainable pathways to economic independence and dignity.
The programme is built around three pillars: prevention, empowerment and rebuilding. The organisers said these would include anti-trafficking campaigns, school and community outreach, vocational training, digital skills, financial literacy and support for survivors, internally displaced persons and returnees.
The initiative will also seek partnerships with international fashion brands, filmmakers and sporting organisations. The organisers said discussions were being pursued with fashion houses including Gucci, Balenciaga, Versace and Hugo Boss.
They added that collaborations with Nollywood and international filmmakers would support anti-trafficking films, documentaries and awareness campaigns, while sports would be used to reach vulnerable youths.
Proposed sporting partnerships include FIFA, the International Handball Federation and the National Basketball Association.
Backed by NAPTIP’s technical and institutional support, the organisers said the programme would have a monitoring and evaluation framework to track employment outcomes, survivor rehabilitation and funds mobilised.
The organisers called on corporate organisations, development agencies, foundations, philanthropists, brand ambassadors, volunteers and foreign missions to support the initiative.
“Together, we can use creativity to educate, skills to empower, and partnerships to rebuild lives,” the statement said.
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