Beyond Poverty: A Socioecological Analysis of the Factors Reinforcing Human Trafficking among Residents of Onitsha, Anambra State, Nigeria

Abstract

In Nigeria, Onitsha has become a major centre for trafficking activity. Despite poverty being often identified as the main cause, research into its socioecological model at various levels remainds underdeveloped. To analyse socioecological factors that perpetuate human trafficking in the community of Onitsha, Anambra State, Nigeria. This was a cross sectional survey design, involving 384 respondents who were selected by multi-stage sampling of 15 residential layouts in Onitsha. Structured questionnaire was used for data collection and descriptive statistics and chi-square tests were used to analyse the data. 86.3% of the respondents believe that the poor are more vulnerable to trafficking, and 96.4% think the pursuit of quick money is a motivator to participate in trafficking. Greed and poverty were the top predictors (49.5% and 49.7%, respectively). There is a wide range of socioecological factors including individual greed, family poverty, community normalisation of exploitation and structural economic inequality that reinforces the occurrence of human trafficking in Onitsha. Multi-level strategies are needed to address all the dimensions to achieve effective intervention. This study strengthens SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions) by offering evidence for the need to go beyond poverty alleviation and identify socioecological factors that drive trafficking, such as institutional corruption, cultural normalisation of exploitation and the lack of effective governance structures that increase vulnerability.