IOM advocates better migration policy in Nigeria

By: Mnena Iyorkegh, Abuja

International Organization for Migration IOM has advocated for a migration policy that cut across national boundaries, to address the impact of the increasing displacement and human mobility in Nigeria.

IOM Chief of Mission Mr. Laurent De Boeck, made the call at the National migration Dialogue in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.

The National Migration Dialogue is a platform for facilitating national debate on crosscutting migration issues, bringing together stakeholders from government, civil society, the private sector and the academia.

The 2022 NMD seeks to examine and analyse the nexus between climate change, displacements and mobility; review existing adaptation.

He also said that climate change remains a major driver of migration across nations.
Climate change induced migration has been on the front burner as National and global bodies have designed and formulated policies to achieve a global compact on safe and orderly migration.

To this effect, he therefore called for a thorough evaluation of the impact of climate change on migration.

According to the UN Convention to combat Desertification (UNCCD) report “Drought in November, 2022”, it is estimated that drought will affect at least 700 million people globally by 2030 and the sea levels will rise by between 30 cm-60cm by 2100.

I would like to use this opportunity to call for a thorough evaluation of the impact of climate change events on displacements and human mobility in Nigeria, a more comprehensive analysis of the so called “climate migration”.

I would like to use this forum to advocate for community-led solution, including nature based solutions that could support the adaptation of communities to climate change.

We believe that this soul inform the adaptation of adequate strategies for minimizing with a view to proffering practical solutions and interventions, that should be considered including for the future vision of the National Migration Policy.

Mr. De Boeck further reiterate IOM’s commitment to supporting migration project in Nigeria.

Nigeria is currently reeling from effects of its worst floods in 10 years, which has displaced many families, affecting 33 out of the 36 states of the federation and resulting in millions of internationally displaced persons in Nigeria.

IOM has been active from day one providing support that will reach to approximately 300,000 affected persons.

And this is on top of what IOM is already doing to strengthen resilience and operational capacities of communities already affected by climate based displacement.

I would like to reiterates IOM’s commitment to providing the needed technical support for the implementation of migration related programmes and projects in Nigeria, and on all other issues of common interest. Let’s together make international Migrants day a happy occasion.

According to a Migration Adviser from the Embassy of Switzerland in Nigeria, Mr. Christian Brugger, the complex nature of the effect of climate change impact needs urgent attention.

The relationship between effects of climate change, environmental driver of mobility and actual decision and act of migration is very complex, however it is not always easy to establish the effect of climate change on population who are already mobile or changes the address of mobility.

The Swiss Agency for Development Cooperation is not in the process of launching a programme on climate induced mobility, and West Africa will also be part of this programme.

Switzerland is ready to continue and if possible expand its long standing and broad engagement with Nigeria in the field of migration, be it in the areas of vocational training, migration management, the fight against human trafficking, the protection of orderly migration and irregularly migration.

The Nigerian Migration policy recommends that the National Commission for Refugees Migrants and Internally Displaced Peesons take the lead, by forging close collaborations with the Ministry of Environment and other relevant institutions in implementing intervention schemes to better manage the impact of environmental events on migrants.

Nigeria is commemorating the day with the theme accelerating climate adaptation in displacement and human mobility.