JAPA: Stakeholders begin review of new migration policy for Nigeria

Migration stakeholders are currently reviewing the National Migration Policy to address the ‘Japa’ syndrome and discourage irregular migration.

Speaking during the opening session of the three-day meeting of the Technical Working Group on Migration in Abuja, on Tuesday, the Federal Commissioner of the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), Hon. Tijani Aliyu Ahmed, said the meeting is a significant step in the ongoing efforts to review and update Nigeria’s National Migration Policy (NMP).  

“There is a need for us to reduce the level of irregular migration. We can now have regular migration through advocacy. This policy will work assiduously to ensure that Nigerians do not migrate irregularly, and do not go into areas where they probably at the end of the day they will lose their lives. That is why we are coming up with this policy, bringing corrections to give directions,” he said.

He said there had been substantial progress since the Policy Review Committee was inaugurated in November 2022, culminating in the development of the Zero Draft which is now being reviewed.

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Ahmed said the objectives of the meeting include officially receiving and reviewing the Zero Draft, understanding the revisions and proposed frameworks; engaging in detailed discussions, offering constructive feedback and recommendations that will enhance the policy; harnessing members’ collective expertise and ensuring that the policy remains responsive to Nigeria’s migration dynamics while advancing national interests.

Speaking at the opening session, the Acting Chief of Mission of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), Paola Pace, represented by Medeiros Ana, said migration had become a significant issue at the forefront of regional, national and global agendas. 

“Today, we gather here with a shared vision of advancing Nigeria’s migration governance framework to align with national priorities and international standards. The migration governance indicators process, MGI, we are officially launching today, represents a crucial step in assessing the comprehensiveness of Nigeria’s migration governance structure,” she said. 

The MGI is an initiative developed by the IOM in collaboration with the Economist Intelligence Unit which is based on the migration governance framework adopted by IOM member states in 2015.

In 2020, Nigeria became part of this global initiative by undertaking its first MGI assessment. The insights gained from that process provided a foundational baseline, highlighting areas of success and revealing governance gaps that needed to be addressed.

Pace said: “The results have informed the ongoing review of the national migration policy, demonstrating the value of evidence-based decision-making, in governance, in migration governance. 

“Today, as we commence the follow-up assessment, our aim is to build on these achievements by identifying new challenges, gaps and opportunities that have emerged since the last evaluation, this process will involve engaging key stakeholders in consultations, conducting in-depth reviews and developing an updated MGI profile for Nigeria. 

“By incorporating durable solutions into our migration governance, we ensure a holistic approach that addresses current realities and prepares us for future challenges. This follow up assessment is not merely a data collection exercise, it is an opportunity for collaboration, dialogue and share responsibility among all migration stakeholders,” she said.