Nigeria and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) have renewed calls for sustainable livelihoods, decent employment and lasting solutions for displaced persons and returning migrants as they marked 25 years of partnership.
At an anniversary event in Abuja on Wednesday, government officials and development partners stressed the need to move beyond short-term humanitarian assistance towards economic recovery, sustainable reintegration and improved opportunities for young Nigerians.
The United Nations Resident Coordinator in Nigeria, Mohamed M. Malick Fall, warned that youth unemployment and social exclusion could fuel instability, violence and recruitment into armed groups if young people were denied access to skills and decent jobs.
Fall said Nigeria’s large youth population could become a major driver of economic growth if supported with appropriate education, vocational training and employment opportunities.
He also urged the government to integrate migration policies into broader national development priorities, noting that safe and well-managed migration could promote innovation, investment, knowledge exchange and economic growth.
“This is not simply a migration agenda. It is a development agenda. It is a jobs agenda. It is a human capital agenda,” he said.
The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr Bernard Doro, said the government’s responsibility extended beyond bringing Nigerians home to ensuring they could rebuild their lives and achieve sustainable reintegration.
Doro disclosed that the revised National Migration Policy and its implementation plan were approved on August 19, 2026, to clarify institutional responsibilities, establish measurable outcomes and improve the use of migration data for planning and reintegration.
Representing President Bola Tinubu, Ambassador Anthony Nnamdi Alonwu called for effective implementation of the policy and the Global Compact for Migration, alongside stronger collaboration among the different levels of government.
He also stressed the importance of creating safe and legal migration pathways and protecting migrants from trafficking, exploitation and dangerous journeys.
Zulum seeks lasting solutions for displaced persons
Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum, called on the IOM to prioritise medium- and long-term interventions for communities affected by insurgency and terrorism, particularly in the North-East.
Speaking on behalf of North-East governors, Zulum acknowledged the organisation’s support for people affected by the crisis since 2009 but argued that emergency relief alone could not address the underlying causes and consequences of displacement.
He urged the agency to focus more on durable solutions that would enable displaced families to rebuild their homes, restore their livelihoods and regain economic independence.
His call comes amid increasing humanitarian needs and dwindling funding, which the IOM said were undermining the ability of aid organisations to respond effectively to complex crises.
The IOM Chief of Mission in Nigeria and the ECOWAS region, Sharon Dimanche, identified conflict, climate pressures and limited economic opportunities as major drivers of displacement and migration.
She called for greater government and community ownership of migration programmes, investment in youth skills and stronger engagement with Nigerians in the diaspora.
IOM assists 2.5 million people
Dimanche disclosed that the IOM had assisted more than 2.5 million people since 2014, provided shelter support to nearly half a million displaced persons and built or repaired more than 33,000 shelters.
She said the organisation had also helped more than 737,000 people access safe water and supported over 2,000 small businesses, contributing to the creation or restoration of more than 75,000 jobs.
According to her, the IOM has expanded from a small operation established in Lagos in 2001 with two staff members to an organisation operating across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
The agency has also supported national migration frameworks, trained more than 6,500 government officials and strengthened border management systems at 33 locations.
Dimanche, however, emphasised that the organisation’s achievements should not be measured solely by the number of people assisted or projects completed, but by the extent to which its interventions help people rebuild their lives and secure sustainable livelihoods.
“Saving lives is essential. But it is not enough,” she said.
Looking ahead, Dimanche outlined a shared vision for migration in Nigeria through 2051, anchored on mobility, opportunity and resilience.
The vision seeks to expand safe migration channels, improve access to employment, strengthen protection against trafficking and exploitation, and support communities affected by conflict and climate shocks.
She said the ultimate goal was to ensure that displacement did not become a permanent condition and that young Nigerians, women, entrepreneurs and members of the diaspora could contribute more effectively to national development.
As Nigeria and the IOM enter the next phase of their partnership, stakeholders said the priority would be to translate policy commitments into tangible results, including safer migration, sustainable reintegration, viable livelihoods and lasting solutions for displaced communities.
