Anambra Moves to Regulate Igbo Apprenticeship System with New Bill
Anambra Moves to Regulate Igbo Apprenticeship System with New Bill
The Anambra State House of Assembly has taken a major step toward formalizing the age-long Igbo apprenticeship system, popularly known as Igba Boi, with the introduction of the Anambra State Igbo Apprenticeship Bill 2024.
The bill, which was presented for public hearing at the Legislative Complex in Awka, seeks to establish a legal framework to guide the apprenticeship system, protect apprentices from exploitation, and preserve a cultural and economic practice that has produced generations of successful entrepreneurs across Igbo land.
Key provisions of the proposed law include the establishment of the Anambra State Igbo Apprenticeship Commission, which will oversee the scheme, issue certificates of completion, and maintain a database of all registered apprentices and their masters.
The bill also sets a seven-year benchmark for apprenticeships and requires that participants must have completed basic education before enrollment. In addition, apprenticeship agreements will be documented in writing, clearly outlining duties, duration, and settlement conditions, with a dispute resolution platform provided for both parties.
Declaring the public hearing open, the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Somtochukwu Udeze, said the legislation would help curb abuse, promote transparency, and safeguard a tradition that is central to the socio-economic identity of the Igbo people.
The bill’s sponsor, Hon. Ejike Okechukwu, representing Anaocha Constituency 2, explained that the framework would discourage exploitation while modernizing the system in line with global best practices.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the House Committee on Commerce, Trade and Industry, Hon. Innocent Ojike (Oyi Constituency), stressed that the bill would boost investor confidence, attract more stakeholders, and provide credibility to the traditional mentorship model.
At the hearing, stakeholders—including market leaders, masters, and apprentices welcomed the initiative, noting that the legislation would help preserve and strengthen the Igba Boi system, which has long been a cornerstone of wealth creation and economic empowerment in Anambra, Nigeria, and beyond.
If passed into law, the bill will mark the first state-backed legislation aimed at standardizing the apprenticeship model that has made Anambra a hub of commerce and entrepreneurship.
