The International Organisation for Migration (IOM), has said that at least 1.3 million Nigerians are facing irregular migration challenges worldwide.
The United Nations migration body also said more than this number are internally displaced within the country.
Mrs Ugochi Daniels, the Deputy Director General for Operations, IOM, disclosed this during the launch of the IOM Country Strategy for Nigeria in Abuja.
She said the five-year Strategic Plan for Nigeria (2023–2027) aims to guide its work with the government and stakeholders in the country toward enhancing migration governance and harnessing the country’s benefits from migration.
Daniels explained that the strategy outlines objectives built around three pillars of governance, mobility and resilience.
She said through these pillars, IOM seeks to support Nigeria in managing migration priorities and reforming migration governance, ensuring safe and dignified mobility pathways for migrants, addressing human trafficking and forecasting migration drivers for safer, more regular and orderly migration movements.
The IOM official pointed out that irregular migration presents a lot of challenges while acknowledging, on the other hand that regular migration presents numerous opportunities for the socio-economic development of the country.
She called for the support of critical stakeholders to successfully implement the strategy in Nigeria.
On his part, Mr Laurent De Boeck, Chief of IOM Nigeria, explained that the three strategic pillars of the document include resilience, mobility and governance.
He said the strategy will enhance the protection of migrants, IDPs and communities by addressing vulnerabilities and reinforcing capacities to implement sustainable solutions.
“It will optimise benefits of labour mobility for Africa integration as well as foster evidence-based processes to enhance government capacities to integrate migration policies and practices.”
