The alarming rise in the commodification of newborns in Nigeria is not just a moral and legal crisis—it is a national emergency. Increasingly, reports indicate that young people are entering mutual arrangements to conceive and sell babies for profit. These so-called “baby factories” are emerging as a dangerous trend, particularly in southern Nigeria, where poverty, stigma, and broken institutions have created fertile ground for this illicit trade to thrive.

Exploiting Vulnerability: How Girls Are Tricked and Trapped

In a recent interview, Ibadin Judith-Chukwu, the Anambra State Commander of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), shared horrifying details of how unsuspecting young women are exploited. She described a situation where a man proposes marriage to a pregnant girl, only to later sell the child—often without her knowledge or consent—immediately after birth.

The situation becomes even more disturbing when one considers that many of these girls are already vulnerable. For fear of family backlash or societal rejection due to out-of-wedlock pregnancies, they become easy targets for traffickers. These traffickers often pose as social workers or well-meaning intermediaries, promising to “help” the girls through their unwanted pregnancies. In reality, their goal is to profit from the sale of the babies.

Organized Crime in Disguise: The Mechanics of the Trade

In more sinister cases, traffickers go further—kidnapping girls, holding them in secret locations, and deliberately impregnating them. Once the babies are born, they are swiftly sold to childless couples who are often desperate and willing to pay high prices. Male babies, especially those with lighter skin tones, fetch a higher price due to cultural preferences.

Reports from law enforcement reveal that this form of organized trafficking is not isolated. In Abia State, for example, police rescued 16 pregnant girls and eight infants from a baby factory in 2024. This is just one of many such operations uncovered. Over the past six years, authorities have shut down more than 200 underground baby factories across Nigeria. Yet, the trade persists—driven by demand, enabled by systemic failures, and shrouded in silence.

The International Context: Baby Trafficking Across Borders

The problem is not unique to Nigeria. A report by Al Jazeera highlighted that babies are sold in Malaysia for between $400 and $7,500 depending on factors like race, gender, and skin tone. In Greece, similar trafficking rings operate through connections to countries like Albania and Bulgaria. Between 2007 and 2012 alone, 247 Bulgarian women reportedly gave birth in one Greek region, with nearly half of those children sold into private adoptions.

However, the Nigerian situation is distinct in its scale, public visibility, and the complicity of local actors, including some medical personnel. In certain private hospitals, unscrupulous nurses have reportedly worked hand-in-glove with traffickers to secretly transfer babies to waiting buyers.

Root Causes: Poverty, Stigma, and a Broken System

Several factors sustain this dark trade in Nigeria. At the root lies poverty—both the young men who impregnate the women and the women themselves often see baby-making as a way out of economic hardship. Sex workers have even been reported to deliberately become pregnant just to sell the newborns.

In addition, the deep societal stigma surrounding childlessness pushes many couples to resort to illegal channels for adopting children. Legal adoption in Nigeria remains a long, costly, and bureaucratic process. For desperate couples, baby traffickers offer a quicker, albeit illegal, alternative.

And then there’s the inefficiency of the justice system. Though arrests have been made over the years, convictions are rare. Legal processes are painfully slow, discouraging victims and witnesses from cooperating. This impunity emboldens traffickers and leaves victims voiceless.

The Human Cost: From Organ Harvesting to Child Exploitation

The consequences of baby trafficking extend far beyond the sale itself. Some babies end up in the hands of criminal syndicates involved in organ harvesting or ritual killings. Others are raised in abusive environments or groomed for sex work, feeding into networks of paedophilia and modern slavery.

Children sold into such circumstances are robbed not only of their families but also of any semblance of a safe, nurturing childhood. Their basic human rights are violated from birth.

The Way Forward: How Nigeria Must Respond

To dismantle the baby-for-sale industry, Nigeria must take a multipronged approach. First, the enforcement of existing laws must be strengthened. The Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act should be aggressively deployed to prosecute traffickers and their accomplices.

Second, community vigilance is crucial. Residents must be encouraged to report suspicious activities. If a girl becomes pregnant and cannot explain what happened to her child post-delivery, authorities should investigate. Community leaders and religious institutions must lead awareness campaigns to break the culture of silence.

Third, legal adoption must be made easier and more affordable. The government should streamline the process to offer a legitimate pathway for couples seeking children. At the same time, adoption should be free of corruption, ensuring that children’s welfare remains the top priority.

Breaking the Cycle: Education and Economic Empowerment

Poverty is the fuel behind baby trafficking. To address this, Nigeria needs to invest heavily in youth education, vocational training, and job creation. Economic empowerment for young women, in particular, is critical. When girls have access to education and economic opportunities, they are less likely to fall prey to traffickers.

The government should also partner with NGOs to establish safe houses and counseling centers for vulnerable pregnant teens. These centers can provide shelter, medical care, and alternatives to selling their babies.

The Role of Health Workers and Security Agencies

Medical personnel must be held accountable. Hospitals should implement stricter monitoring protocols to prevent the illegal transfer of babies. Security agencies must strengthen intelligence gathering to identify and dismantle trafficking rings. Routine audits of private clinics, maternity homes, and orphanages must become standard practice.

Equally, NAPTIP needs more funding and independence to carry out its mandate effectively. Without sufficient support, the agency will continue to operate with limited impact.

Conclusion: A National Shame That Must End

No civilized society should tolerate the breeding and sale of human beings as though they were livestock. Nigeria must act decisively to crush this evil trade. The government, civil society, communities, and the justice system must unite in ensuring that every child is born into dignity—not trafficked for profit.

The lives of our nation’s most vulnerable hang in the balance. This is not just a crime; it’s a humanitarian crisis that demands immediate, uncompromising action.