25 YEARS OF IOM IN NIGERIA
IOM partnership with Nigeria should evolve into making mobility safer and expanding opportunities For 25 years, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) has worked alongside the Government and people of
Over the past 25 years, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) has collaborated with the Nigerian government and populace, navigating an era where migration and human mobility have gained significant importance within the nation's humanitarian, economic, and development landscape. IOM has contributed to enhancing migration governance and institutions, while concurrently addressing humanitarian responses, migrant protection, border management, return and reintegration, recovery, resilience-building, and sustainable development.
Since 2001, when IOM initially established a modest presence in Lagos, the organization has expanded its operation across all 36 Nigerian states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Since 2014, IOM has delivered humanitarian aid to more than 2.5 million people in Nigeria, providing shelter assistance to nearly 500,000 displaced individuals, and aiding access to safe drinking water for over 737,000 people.
The organization's efforts have evolved from addressing immediate humanitarian needs to focusing on recovery and long-term solutions, enabling individuals to transition from emergency support to greater stability and resilience. This shift is evident in the anniversary's portrayal of IOM's work as a transition from migration management towards mobility, opportunity, and resilience.
A significant focus of IOM's efforts has been the voluntary return and reintegration of Nigerians stranded abroad. Since 2017, IOM has assisted over 71,000 Nigerians in their return and reintegration process, with more than 54,000 returnees receiving socioeconomic reintegration assistance. This assistance includes livelihood and skills-development support, alongside other individualized forms of aid.
The 25-year period has also highlighted that migration in Nigeria extends beyond return migration and humanitarian emergencies. As a country of origin, transit, and destination, with a burgeoning young population, diaspora, regional position, and economic significance, well-managed migration can greatly contribute to national development.
On the occasion of IOM's 25-year presence in Nigeria, Vice President Kashim Shettima emphasized that migration should not merely be seen as a challenge to be managed but as an opportunity to be seized through skills development, safer and regular mobility pathways, productive opportunities for young Nigerians, and stronger engagement with the diaspora.
Given Nigeria's demographic growth, which presents both opportunities and urgency, this forward-thinking approach is crucial. Young Nigerians require skills, jobs, and credible pathways to success, both within and outside the country, while Nigeria's diaspora represents a valuable reservoir of skills, investment, innovation, and global networks that can bolster national development.
Thus, IOM's 25-year presence in Nigeria tells a broader story than that of a humanitarian organization aiding people in crisis. It represents a partnership that has grown and adapted alongside Nigeria, from responding to immediate migration and humanitarian challenges to working alongside government, communities, and partners to build stronger systems and explore how human mobility can contribute to development.
After 25 years, the most significant measure of success should not solely be the number of people IOM has assisted, but whether the partnership can contribute to making mobility safer, expanding opportunities, and building resilience for future generations.
Written by urgent.news from This Day's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
