The Human Cost of Unemployment: Job Scams and Human Trafficking in Africa
By Amb. Joshua Fagbemi
Ed. 221
In the pursuit of peace and survival lies a disturbing hurdle: the fear of falling into job scams. While the search for a job is arguably dependent on having a better life, it has now become a death trap and a possible journey of endless wails. On the African scene, Fraudsters or scammers leverage on its high rate of unemployment stemming from devastating conditions. A 2024 report by Business Insider Africa revealed that while the unemployment rate varies from one country to another, it’s a persistent challenge coupled with struggling economies. For instance, South Africa has an unemployment rate of 32.1%, Gabon with 21.35%, Nigeria with 5.3% (revised methodology) and Congo with 21.3%.
While this presents an expected result, job scams tend to prey more on young people. In late 2024, the African Union (AU) reported that Africa possesses the youngest population globally, with an estimated 500 million youths (aged 15-35) and is expected to reach 1 billion by 2063.
In their activities, job scammers mostly target youths owing to their vulnerability, desperation for employment, digital savviness and financial constraints. Amid this, reports have shown that a significant percentage of job scams leading to human trafficking or forced labour are international.
According to Ghanaian police, in a July 2025 report by BBC News, about 76 Ghanaians who were trafficked to Nigeria under a fraudulent recruitment scheme were rescued. While the victims, mostly young ones, were not placed on hard labour, they were forced to contact their families to solicit $1,000 in the guise of paying training or facilitation fees. It’s pertinent to understand that some job scams take the path of luring people with promises of high wages in jobs such as the oil industry, while it is a planned form of luring them into hard labour, forced slavery, sexual and monetary exploitation, or baby-making machines.
The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) raised an alarm in 2024 over a ploy by suspected human traffickers who are exploiting coordinated global brand trademarks and offering unrealistic Oil and Gas job offers to traffic unsuspecting youths and other classes of people to neighbouring West African countries for various forms of exploitation.
In light of this, a 2024 undercover report of the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ) by Fisayo Soyombo, a Nigerian investigative journalist, revealed how traffickers used a $225 weekly job offer to lure Nigerians into a different scheme in Burkina Faso. The story paints an exploitation that drained victims emotionally, mentally and financially.
A high extension of human trafficking can also subject workers to devastating work conditions, only to provide stipends. On July 25, 2025, the Federal Government of Nigeria, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, came to the rescue of stranded Nigerian workers in the Bambari region of the Central African Republic (CAR). The video, which trended online, showed workers abandoned by their employers and subjected to harsh conditions.
As the situation rallies on the edge of exploitation, it becomes significant for each individual to rise to this situation and remain vigilant. Amid the prevailing scarcity of jobs, it’s most important to be cautious whenever you are on job listings or offers.
While there’s no sure way, the following tips can place you in a more secure position from job scammers.
When you see a job invite, independently verify the company exists and is hiring. Don’t accept a job offer until you’ve done your research. Be suspicious if you didn’t initiate contact with a prospective employer or recruiter. Instead, reach out to the company directly using contact information you know is legit.
Only limited personal information is generally required during the application process, such as name, phone number, job and education history, and perhaps email and home address. Any person’s details other than this are a red flag. Digital-only interactions are a red flag. Also, phone calls are not a guarantee of security.
Be wary of anything that sounds too good to be true. For instance, a job ad for 100% remote work that requires few skills and a huge salary is suspicious.
Lastly, honest employers won’t send you an invoice or require you to buy supplies or anything else.
As individuals strive for peace, stability and security, they must navigate a landscape where the promise of employment can mask a reality of hardship and suffering.
Image Credit: The Associated Press
