As part of activities to commemorate the International Migrants Day 2025, the Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening migration governance in Nigeria with the revised National Migration Policy, designed to address internal displacement, poverty-driven mobility, climate-induced migration and reintegration challenges.
This was disclosed on Thursday at the National Migration Dialogue held in Abuja, themed “The revised national migration policy: Setting a new momentum for national migration governance.”
The Honourable Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr Bernard Doro, who represented President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the event, said migration had become a lived reality for millions of Nigerians, driven by insecurity, climate change, poverty and the search for better opportunities.
Doro noted that the revised policy adopts a humane and people-centred approach that links humanitarian response with development planning and peacebuilding.
According to him, Nigeria currently has over six million internally displaced persons, most of whom live within host communities, making it imperative to move beyond emergency responses towards durable solutions such as return, reintegration, community recovery and social cohesion.
He added that poverty-reduction and social protection programmes, including the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme and the National Social Investment Programme, were critical in addressing the root causes of forced migration by strengthening livelihoods and household resilience.
In his welcome address, the Honourable Federal Commissioner of the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons said the revised National Migration Policy was the outcome of an inclusive, homegrown and consultative process led by the Commission in collaboration with the Technical Working Group on Migration and Development.
He explained that consultations were conducted across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones to ensure the policy reflects national and community realities, adding that the policy was validated by stakeholders in May 2025.
Highlighting the Commission’s achievements, the Commissioner disclosed that over 21,000 stranded Nigerians were voluntarily returned from Libya, Niger and Chad this year, while more than 2,500 forcibly returned Nigerians received humanitarian reception and reintegration support.
He further stated that the Commission had established resettlement cities for refugees, migrants and internally displaced persons, with the Nasarawa State resettlement city serving as a flagship project providing housing, education, healthcare and livelihood opportunities.
Also speaking, the Chief of Mission of the International Organization for Migration in Nigeria, Dimanche Sharon, said migration governance must focus on whether movement leads to dignity, opportunity and meaningful outcomes for people.
She narrated the story of a young internally displaced woman, Aisha, whom she met at a women’s empowerment centre in Borno State, noting that the woman’s desire for her movement in life to “lead to somewhere” captured the true essence of migration governance.
Sharon described the revised National Migration Policy as a bold and forward-looking step that reflects Nigeria’s evolving migration realities and leadership on the continent, while commending state and local governments for translating national policies into action at the community level.
She noted that Nigeria is a country of origin, transit, destination and return, with millions displaced internally by insecurity and climate pressures, while Nigerians abroad continue to contribute significantly to national development through skills, innovation and remittances estimated at about $20bn annually.
All speakers urged stakeholders, including state governments, development partners, civil society and local communities, to take collective responsibility for implementing the revised policy, stressing that migration governance must prioritise human dignity and deliver tangible impact on people’s lives.
