- Launch €1.43m Common Operational Partnership Project in Abuja
The governments of France and Italy, in collaboration with Nigeria, have launched the Common Operational Partnership (COP) Nigeria Project, a joint initiative aimed at combating human trafficking and migrant smuggling across the country.
The project, co-funded by the European Union and implemented by CIVIPOL in partnership with the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), seeks to strengthen Nigeria’s institutional capacity to dismantle trafficking networks and protect victims.
Speaking at the official launch in Abuja, Director-General of NAPTIP, Hajiya Binta Bello, described the project as a major milestone in Nigeria’s ongoing efforts to combat human trafficking and irregular migration. “Nigeria occupies a strategic position in West Africa’s migration dynamics. We face evolving challenges that demand continuous innovation, deeper collaboration, and stronger institutional capacity,” Bello said.
Represented by Josiah Emerole, NAPTIP’s Director of Research and Programme Development, Bello said the COP initiative — implemented by the French Government with support from the Italian Ministry of Interior — would introduce evidence-based and context-specific strategies to strengthen investigations, prosecutions, and victim-centered interventions.
She explained that the COP project is built around four key pillars: Joint Needs Assessment, Training and Mentoring, Operational Support, and Geographic Focus. The pilot phase will begin in Cross River, Osun, Katsina States, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) — all identified as high-risk trafficking corridors. “This launch is not merely ceremonial. It reaffirms Nigeria’s commitment, through NAPTIP and our partners, to dismantle trafficking networks, disrupt smuggling operations, and uphold human dignity,” Bello emphasized.
She commended the governments of France and Italy, the European Union, CIVIPOL, and other stakeholders for their “unwavering support and technical expertise,” stressing that the project embodies shared responsibility and global solidarity in combating human trafficking.
In his remarks, EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Gautier Mignot, said the COP project represents a milestone in collective efforts to address human trafficking and migrant smuggling. “Nigeria remains a source, transit, and destination country for trafficking and smuggling, with networks that exploit the most vulnerable. This initiative reflects the EU’s commitment to dismantling these networks while safeguarding migrants’ dignity,” Mignot said.
He noted that the €1.43 million project — 93 percent co-funded by the EU — will run until June 2027, with objectives to enhance NAPTIP’s operational capacity and strengthen regional and international cooperation.
French Ambassador to Nigeria, Marc Fonbaustier, described the project as “concrete, ambitious, and action-oriented,” adding that it will bolster law enforcement capacity, improve intelligence sharing, and enhance support for victims.
In her goodwill message, Isabelle Wolfsgruber, Head of the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD), pledged continued collaboration with state and non-state actors in the fight against trafficking.
The COP Nigeria Project, coordinated under the Migration Partnership Facility (MPF), is expected to serve as a model of international cooperation and a benchmark for regional anti-trafficking initiatives in West Africa.
