Revised national migration policy’ll protect migrants, support Nigerians’ reintegration — Minister

Dr Bernard Doro, Nigeria's Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, hailed the Federal Executive Council's approval of the country's Revised National Migration Policy as a pivotal moment in bolstering migrant protection, facilitating the return of Nigerians, and tapping into migration's potential for national development. The policy, finalized after a comprehensive review and extensive consultation with various stakeholders, received the nod during a Federal Executive Council meeting on Wednesday.

In a statement released on Friday, Dr Doro emphasized that the revised policy would offer a robust national framework to convert Nigeria's international migration commitments into coordinated action. This would entail bolstering migrant protection, expanding secure and regular migration opportunities, enhancing support for Nigerians returning home, refining migration and diaspora data collection, and maximizing migration's developmental contributions.

The minister underscored the strategic importance of the policy's adoption, particularly in light of Nigeria's participation in the 2026 International Migration Review Forum (IMRF) held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York in May. Doro, who chaired Nigeria's delegation to the forum and served as Co-Chair of Roundtable 3, noted that the country leveraged the global platform to showcase progress in executing the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration.

He stressed that the policy would translate Nigeria's commitments into practical actions at the domestic level, ensuring migration does not expose individuals to vulnerability.

The Revised National Migration Policy, a result of a whole-of-government and whole-of-society consultation process led by the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI) with technical assistance from the International Organization for Migration, underwent validation by stakeholders at a meeting in Abuja on April 29, 2025.

Doro praised the contributions of NCFRMI, government institutions, IOM, development partners, civil society organizations, and other stakeholders to the policy review process.

The policy's implementation is expected to bolster the protection of Nigerian migrants, create safer and more regular migration channels, improve assistance for returnees, and enhance the collection and utilization of migration and diaspora data. It also aims to improve coordination among federal, state, and local governments, establishing clearer mechanisms to maximize migration's economic and developmental benefits for Nigerians and the nation at large.