FG pushes for stronger implementation of Nigeria’s migration policies

The Federal Government has called for stronger implementation of migration policies in Nigeria, stressing that effective execution remains the major challenge confronting labour migration governance in the country.

Speaking at the launch of a policy brief on employer participation in labour migration governance in Nigeria in Abuja on Friday, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Mohammed Dingyadi, represented by a Deputy Director in the Ministry, Sunday Onazi, said Nigeria already has several migration-related policies and frameworks in place, but noted that implementation has remained weak.

“It is very good to formulate policy, but one thing that is a challenge when we look at the dynamics of labour migration in Nigeria is the lacuna in the implementation,” the Minister said.

He urged NECA to ensure that its proposed migration policy goes beyond documentation and translates into practical action.

“So I will challenge NECA that this policy should not only be formulated, but this policy should also be implemented,” the official stated.

He noted that the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment serves as the lead government agency on labour migration matters within Nigeria’s migration governance framework.

The minister said his ministry has already developed the National Policy on Labour Migration as a framework for promoting regular and safe migration pathways into and out of Nigeria.

“And it is also important to note that the ministry has formulated the National Policy on Labour Migration, which is the working framework for promoting regular pathways of migration in and out of Nigeria,” he said.

He added that workers’ unions had also developed migration-related policies, making it necessary for NECA’s proposed framework to align with existing national strategies.

“What I am saying here is that I believe, from the perspective of the ministry, that this policy formulated by NECA will have a handshake with the National Migration Policy, which is the working framework for managing migration in Nigeria,” the official added.

The ministry further stressed the need for private sector participation in funding and implementing migration initiatives, noting that the country currently relies heavily on donor support.

“If you look at the migration governance system in Nigeria, we are totally dependent on donor funding.

“So NECA, coming from the private sector, has a role to play to ensure that this policy will be implemented with practical contributions,” he said.

The ministry also described migration and employment as interconnected issues, saying many Nigerians migrate in search of better economic opportunities.

“Migration and employment are two sides of the same coin. When people migrate, they are looking for employment,” the representative stated.

The official further noted that NECA plays a strategic role in labour migration governance because of its position within Nigeria’s employment and industrial relations structure.

“So NECA is very, very important when it comes to promoting the governance of labour migration,” the ministry said.

Speaking, Employment and Migration Officer of the International Labour Organization, Mr Austin Erame, commended NECA for developing a policy brief focused specifically on labour migration governance in Nigeria.

“For the first time, Employers and Business Membership Organisation under the auspices of NECA have been able to develop and launch a policy brief that specifically looks at labour migration governance in Nigeria,” he said.

Erame said the policy brief would improve the visibility of employers’ contributions to evidence-based migration governance and expressed optimism that its recommendations would be effectively implemented.

On her part, the Chairman of NECA Northern Geographical Group, Margaret Isabona, said the policy brief would provide employers, employees, and migrants with clear guidelines on labour migration practices.

“When there are no laws governing this migration, in terms of decent work, fairness in recruitment, and all that, it becomes a problem and can lead to a crisis,” she said.

She added that the policy framework would help establish proper procedures for recruitment, remuneration, and labour mobility in Nigeria.

Nigeria has, in recent years, developed several frameworks to regulate labour and migration governance, including the National Policy on Labour Migration, but implementation gaps remain a major concern among stakeholders.