Tinubu Reaffirms Commitment to Migration Reforms as Diaspora Remittances Top $20bn Annually

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reiterated his administration’s determination to fully implement Nigeria’s revised National Migration Policy, describing migration governance as a critical pillar of national development and global engagement.

The President gave the assurance in Abuja at the 2025 National Migration Dialogue, a high-level forum focused on strengthening migration governance and repositioning migrants as drivers of hope and development. He was represented at the event by the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr Bernard Doro.

Tinubu highlighted the growing economic relevance of Nigerians abroad, noting that diaspora remittances now exceed $20 billion annually. With an estimated 20 million Nigerians living outside the country, he said migration policy must be people-centred, data-driven and aligned with national development goals.

He commended key institutions for recent policy advances, including the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI) for developing a National Referral Mechanism for vulnerable migrants, and the Ministry of Labour and Employment for strengthening labour migration frameworks to promote fair recruitment and protect Nigerian workers.

The President also acknowledged efforts to improve migration data management, led by the National Bureau of Statistics and the National Population Commission, describing reliable data as essential for informed decision-making and effective policy coordination.

According to him, complementary initiatives such as the National Policy on Health Workers’ Migration and the National Diaspora Policy are designed to deepen diaspora engagement, manage skills mobility and maximise the development impact of migration.

Earlier, NCFRMI Federal Commissioner, Hon. Aliyu Tijani Ahmed, outlined the Commission’s recent interventions across the migration spectrum. He disclosed that more than 21,000 stranded Nigerians were assisted to return voluntarily from countries including Libya, Niger and Chad this year through coordinated airlift operations.

Ahmed added that thousands of Nigerians forcibly returned from Europe and other regions are currently undergoing reintegration support, while targeted programmes in partnership with international organisations have helped returned migrants acquire skills, rebuild livelihoods and achieve economic independence.

He further noted progress in addressing internal displacement, citing operational resettlement cities equipped with housing, schools, healthcare and markets. These initiatives, he said, reflect a shift from emergency response to long-term recovery, reintegration and sustainable development for displaced persons and host communities.