Next2None, NAPTIP Sign MoU On Africa’s First International Fashion Show To Combat Human Trafficking .…‘Threads Of Resilience’ To Empower 6,000 Nigerian Youths Annually

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 seeks to bring together global fashion, international cinema and elite sports in a coordinated campaign aimed at preventing exploitation, empowering young people and restoring the dignity of trafficking survivors.

The partnership followed the signing of the MoU on August 27, 2026, by NAPTIP Director-General, Binta Lami Adamu Bello; Director of the Legal and Prosecution Department, Mrs Ijeoma Amugo; Director-General of Next2None Support Initiative, Mr Sam Obu, Esq., popularly known as Chukky; and Mr Frank Nwala.

The collaborative programme was announced on Sunday in a statement jointly signed by Obu and Nwala.

According to the statement, the initiative will run for eight years, from 2026 to 2034, with an initial target of reaching 6,000 young Nigerians annually.

The programme will scale up training to approximately 1,000 participants in each of the country’s six geopolitical zones.

It will operate throughout the year and culminate in an annual flagship Global Fashion for Freedom event in Abuja, with the global launch scheduled for the second quarter of 2027.

Speaking on the need for the initiative, Obu said the architecture of human trafficking had evolved significantly, with traffickers increasingly exploiting digital platforms to target vulnerable people.

He identified social media, deceptive employment advertisements, fraudulent migration schemes and online relationships as some of the avenues being used to lure victims.

“Human trafficking is no longer just a law enforcement challenge; it is a crisis of poverty, unemployment, and lack of opportunity,” Obu said.

He added that Threads of Resilience would go beyond rescue efforts by creating a sustainable, Nigerian-led international movement that uses creativity, sports and education to provide pathways to freedom and economic dignity.

The statement said the programme would be built around three major pillars: Prevention, Empowerment and Rebuilding.

Under Prevention – Stopping the Cycle, the initiative will use fashion campaigns, school programmes, digital advocacy and community outreach to educate young people about trafficking risks and promote online safety.

The Empowerment – Reducing Vulnerability pillar will provide physical and digital training in vocational areas such as fashion design, textile production, leather making and garment care.

The training will also include modern enterprise skills such as e-commerce, financial literacy and branding to help young people develop sustainable livelihoods.

The third pillar, Rebuilding – Restoring Dignity, will provide confidential and respectful reintegration support for trafficking survivors, internally displaced persons (IDPs) and returnees.

The support will include vocational rehabilitation, mentorship, mental health and psychosocial assistance.

According to the statement, the initiative will seek international partnerships to expand its anti-trafficking campaign and position fashion as a vehicle for human rights advocacy.

Emerging designers and trafficking survivors are expected to showcase collections carrying messages of healing, resilience and freedom.

Next2None and NAPTIP will also seek engagements with major international luxury fashion houses, including Gucci, Balenciaga, Versace and Hugo Boss.

The programme will equally partner with Nollywood and international filmmakers to produce anti-trafficking movies, documentaries and awareness skits.

It will also provide practical film-production training for young people interested in the creative industry.

In sports, the initiative plans to build on existing talent-hunt frameworks to reach vulnerable young people through grassroots sporting activities.

The statement said strategic partnerships were being pursued with FIFA for football initiatives, the International Handball Federation (IHF) for handball tournaments and the National Basketball Association (NBA) to deploy elite athlete ambassadors and sports clinics.

The programme will be backed by NAPTIP’s governmental leadership and technical expertise, including efforts to facilitate collaboration with relevant Nigerian government institutions and United Nations agencies.

Next2None Support Initiative will provide its implementation experience, while a Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning framework will be used to track outcomes.

The framework will monitor indicators including employment rates, survivor rehabilitation outcomes and funds mobilised for the programme.

As implementation begins with diplomatic outreach and stakeholder mobilisation, the Media Office of Next2None Support Initiative called on organisations and individuals worldwide to support the campaign.

“We invite corporate organizations, international development grants, foundations, philanthropists, brand ambassadors, volunteers and foreign missions to join hands with us. Together, we can use creativity to educate, skills to empower, and partnerships to rebuild lives,” the statement said.