NAPTIP, International Partners Move to Modernise Systems for Safer Migration

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons has opened a three-day strategic workshop in Keffi, Nasarawa State, aimed at overhauling its internal systems and improving the agency’s capacity to manage migration and combat human trafficking more effectively.

The session, convened with support from the International Centre for Migration Policy Development and funded by the Government of the Netherlands, focuses on harmonising NAPTIP’s human resource structures, updating operational guidelines, and strengthening coordination among departments. Organisers say the reforms are designed to modernise the agency’s workforce and improve the quality of frontline interventions.

Speaking at the opening, Director-General Binta Adamu-Bello emphasised that NAPTIP’s expanding mandate requires more robust governance systems and clearly defined service schemes. She noted that updating the agency’s HR framework would help drive fairness, accountability, and efficiency across its operations.

According to her, the ongoing restructuring involves reviewing departmental roles, improving internal processes, and aligning all procedures with broader public service regulations. She added that institutional renewal is essential for the agency to remain effective in preventing trafficking, supporting victims, and promoting safer migration pathways.

ICMPD’s Head of Mission in Nigeria, Isabelle Wolfsgruber, reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to assisting Nigerian institutions in strengthening migration governance. She credited the Netherlands for backing the initiative and stressed the importance of sustained partnerships in tackling trafficking networks and enhancing protection systems.

The workshop is expected to produce a unified set of HR management documents and operational guidelines that will guide NAPTIP’s work in the coming years, with authorities insisting that professionalised structures are central to delivering stronger, more sustainable anti-trafficking outcomes.