The Federal Government has announced that it is actively working on plans to safely and respectfully repatriate 15,000 Nigerians currently stranded in Cameroon, Niger, Chad, and other countries.
This was made known by the Federal Commissioner of the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, Alhaji Tijani Ahmed, during a press briefing held on Friday in Abuja.
Ahmed disclosed that Nigeria is grappling with the internal displacement of around six million citizens, in addition to hosting thousands of refugees globally.
“We have 15,000 Nigerians that want to return to the country voluntarily, and we also have not less than 100,000 foreigners living in this country as refugees. All these are the responsibilities of the commission, to give them support,” he stated.
He expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu for his backing of both the commission and the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, emphasizing the government’s commitment to ensuring that displaced individuals are brought back home with dignity.
In a related development, the NCFRMI boss revealed that Nigeria will host its first thematic event since assuming the chairmanship of the Rabat Process, a Euro-African platform for dialogue on migration and development.
The event is slated for May 13 and 14, drawing over 100 delegates from 57 partner nations.
It’s worth noting that Nigeria took over leadership of the Rabat Process in January 2025. According to Ahmed, the upcoming meeting, themed “Youth, Innovation and Education: Driving the Future of Migration,” will create avenues for bilateral talks and improved migration policies.
“Membership in these platforms provides opportunities for knowledge transfer and better migration management. Nigeria’s leadership in the Rabat Process is seen as an advantage, despite its being a one-year term,” he said.
Ahmed went on to highlight ongoing challenges in migration governance, pointing out the necessity of public awareness campaigns targeted at young people regarding legal migration options.
“There is a need to educate migrants about the consequences of irregular migration, including negative outcomes. The focus should be on advocating for legal migration pathways to reduce the number of irregular migrants,” he said.
He further explained, “Regular migration involves moving through legal channels, while irregular migration often involves dangerous and illegal methods. Irregular migration can lead to hardship and danger, with many migrants unable to return to their home country.”
The federal commissioner concluded by urging for stronger collaboration among stakeholders, particularly the media, to support efforts aimed at effective migration governance.