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Socio-cultural Factors Determining Child Labor in Sokoto South Senatorial Districts of Sokoto, Nigeria

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: This paper, titled “Socio-Cultural Factors Determining Child Labor in Sokoto South Senatorial Districts of Sokoto State, Nigeria,” critically examines the study area’s cultural, social, and economic determinants of child labor. This study aims to identify the major socio-cultural factors sustaining the prevalence of child labor, assess their implications on child development and propose mitigation strategies. Drawing on both conceptual and empirical evidence, the study reveals that large family size, poverty, rural-urban migration, traditional beliefs, and low educational attainment are the principal factors driving child labor in Sokoto South. Guided by Oscar Lewis’s Culture of Poverty Theory, the paper explains how poverty-entrenched cultural norms reproduce conditions that perpetuate intergenerational child labor. Empirical insights further demonstrate that poor parental education, unemployment, food insecurity, and the Almajiranci system’s persistence contribute significantly to children’s vulnerability to labor exploitation. This study employs descriptive and analytical methods based on existing literature and secondary data to contextualize the phenomenon within Nigeria’s socioeconomic realities. Findings indicate that child labor has adverse consequences on children’s physical, psychological, educational and moral development thereby undermining regional and national development goals. The study concludes that child labor is not merely an economic issue but a multidimensional socio-cultural problem that requires holistic intervention. It recommends intensified poverty alleviation programs parental sensitization, improved access to education, and the integration of traditional leaders in child protection campaigns to eradicate child labor in Sokoto South Senatorial District.

Source: Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)

DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.18594745

Authors: Shehu, Samaila, Onu, Francis O., Yiga, Sadi

Institutions: Sokoto State University, Nasarawa State University

Language: English

Topic: Poverty, Education, and Child Welfare

Subfield: Safety Research

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Decent work and economic growth, Reduced inequalities, No poverty, Peace, justice, and strong institutions

Open Access status: green

OpenAlex ID: W7128496667

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