Nigeria is set to expand its collaboration with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) as part of renewed efforts to address irregular migration, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, has said.
The minister disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja during a courtesy visit by the IOM Deputy Director-General for Operations, Ugochi Daniels.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu highlighted Nigeria’s demographic reality as a key factor driving migration pressures, noting that more than 70 percent of the country’s population is under the age of 40.
“With such a young population, the demand for employment and better opportunities is intense. This demographic reality is a major driver of irregular migration,” she stated in a release signed by her media aide, Magnus Eze.
She also underscored the role of the Nigerian diaspora in President Bola Tinubu’s foreign policy framework, anchored on the “4-Ds” — Democracy, Demography, Diaspora, and Development.
According to her, diaspora engagement remains a strategic priority.
The minister urged the IOM to help dispel myths of so-called “greener pastures” abroad, which mislead young Nigerians into embarking on risky journeys, while also promoting positive narratives about migration.
Commending the IOM’s longstanding support for Nigeria, she cited its assistance to vulnerable migrants, internally displaced persons, and its recent emergency response to severe flooding in Niger State, which included providing shelter kits and relief items to 1,000 families.
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Odumegwu-Ojukwu encouraged the Organisation to align its programmes more closely with Nigeria’s national priorities and explore new funding sources beyond traditional donors. She added that Nigeria is open to hosting international or United Nations operations relocating from Geneva or New York under the UN80 Reform Initiative.
In her remarks, Daniels reaffirmed the IOM’s commitment to Nigeria, describing the country as central to the Organisation’s operations in Africa. She revealed that no fewer than 70,000 irregular migrants have been returned to Nigeria by the IOM, with about 27,000 reintegrated through its Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration Programme.
“We have a very comprehensive intervention in Nigeria. We count on your continued support for the work of IOM in Nigeria,” Daniels said, while noting that Nigeria currently lacks voting rights in the IOM Council due to outstanding asset contributions.
She further stressed that the Organisation’s mission is to promote humane and orderly migration while supporting sustainable development and advancing the African Union’s Agenda 2063.
Currently, IOM Nigeria is implementing the EU-funded initiative Promoting Better Management of Migration in Nigeria, which supports the government in addressing irregular migration, improving border management, enhancing migration data, and mobilising diaspora resources.